There are eight Seminole clans - Panther, Bear, Deer, Wind, Bigtown, Bird, Snake, and Otter. Clan members are not supposed to marry within the clan.
Children inherit the clan of the mother.
When the last female in a clan passes on, the clan is considered extinct. Several historical clans, including Alligator, are now extinct. The Panther clan is the largest clan in today's Seminole Tribe of Florida. The next section talks about the Seminoles and Christianity .