<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> Per stirpes (/ pɜːr ˈstɜːrpiːz /; "by branch") is a legal term from Latin . An estate of a decedent is distributed per stirpes if each branch of the family is to receive an equal share of an estate . When the heir in the first generation of a branch predeceased the decedent, the share that would have been given to the heir would be distributed among the heir's issue in equal shares . It may also be known as strict per stirpes or the old English approach, and differs from distribution per capita, as members of the same generation may inherit different amounts . </P> <P> Example 1A: The testator A, specifies in his will that his estate is to be divided among his descendants in equal shares per stirpes . A has three children, B, C, and D. B is already dead, but has left two children (grandchildren of A), B1 and B2 . When A's will is executed, under a distribution per stirpes, C and D each receive one - third of the estate, and B1 and B2 each receive one - sixth . B1 and B2 constitute one "branch" of the family, and collectively receive a share equal to the shares received by C and D as branches (figure 1). </P>

What does the term per stirpes mean in a will