Blood Kin
Blood kin means family members who share the same bloodline - parents, children, siblings, or close biological relatives. In Southern and Appalachian speech, it marks true family, not just folks you married into.
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
Asking if somebody is 'blood kin' is a common phrasing out in the country. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Asking if somebody is 'blood kin' is a common phrasing out in the country. Pronunciation
[BLUHD kin]
/blʌd kɪn/
/blʌd kɪn/
Meaning & Usage
- Direct Biological Family (noun phrase)
Papaw:
He’s blood kin - can’t turn him away.
He’s blood kin - can’t turn him away.
Mamaw:
Don’t matter what he’s done, family’s family.
Don’t matter what he’s done, family’s family.- Strong Family Loyalty (figurative)
Estel:
We’re blood kin - that counts for somethin’.
We’re blood kin - that counts for somethin’.
Elmer:
Always has, always will.
Always has, always will.★ In Southern talk, blood kin carries weight - it means obligation, protection, and history all tied together. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English blōd + cynn (family, race). Though once common in English, it persisted strongly in the American South and Appalachia, where kinship terms remain central to identity and community.
Usage Notes
Common in rural and mountain speech. Often used to clarify relationships or emphasize loyalty: "He’s blood, not just kin."