Have you heard of the notion that people sometimes die at the same age as their same-sex parent? (Fairly light-hearted)

[niska]

I'd never heard of this before, but it turns out my mum died at the same age as her mother - quite an early age: 67. A friend told me it's not unusual. I mentioned it at my evening class, and of seven of us, two others said that, on reflection, their father and grandfather had died at the same age. Other classmates were extremely dismissive of this being a thing.

I'm not looking for an argy-bargy, and I hope no-one will take offence, but I'd be intrigued to know if anyone else has heard of this. Also, if you think about it, has it happened with any of your ancestors?

God I hope not. My mum died at 53. I'm 38.

Longevity does seem to run in families but until relatively recently there were so many factors that could kill people off that it's hard to say.
My dad's dad died younger than my dad is now but he had an industrial disease. My nan lived 25 years more than her mother.

Bloody hope not. My bm died at 43. I’m 51. Living on borrowed time then.

My maternal nan died at 62, my mum is 77 - so thank goodness it's not true in my family!!

My mum has already outlived my grandmother, thankfully.

My maternal gran died in her 80s. My mum died not long after she turned 60.

Yes, I'm not meaning to be gloom and doom - obviously there are many factors in what age people die. And medical advances make so much difference. I have no intention of dying at 67! But I'm just interested in this notion, which has the flavour of an urban myth.

I don't have the same history of drugs and alcohol and Hep C, so I hope I have more than 16 years left.

Most people who die of being a bit old and knackered die between the ages of, let's say, 70 and 85. Of course some people die at the same age as a parent. Genes and family/cultural lifestyles will play a part in making that slightly more likely than random strangers.

The ones that do will be noticed and remembered more than the ones that differ by a few years. Also if there is only a years difference people will often 'remember' that it was actually the same age rather than roughly the same age.

My best friend's mum died at 43, her mum had died at 43 too. Her grandad is still alive and has now buried both wife and youngest child at an unnatural time. It's most sad and my friend understandably wonders how long she may have left. We're 37 now. I imagine her mental health might suffer quite a bit as the next few years go by.

My maternal grandfather died at 39 and 6 months of a heart attack. His son died at 39 and 6 months of a heaart attack.
My dad has lived alot longer than his father.
My mother died at a younger age than her mother.
My gfather and uncles deaths were very much dictated by lifestyle.

My GM was 74. Not a bad age but I'd like to live a bit longer than that if possible. Her mother (my great grandmother) was 93!

DM is thankfully still very much alive and turning 50 soon. I'm 28.

My mum was a very heavy smoker and died of emphysema at 72.
I have never smoked, and would like to think that I have more than 12 years left.

My husband!’s father died at 64, DH is now 60 and is fairly convinced this is true and will happen.

I'll let you know once I've had my next birthday. I can't say it's not on my mind
.

That’s a bit spooky. Dm died at 86 so that’s fine for me (currently 54). But my df died at 62 and my dB at 61.

Not a same sex parent link but my paternal grandmother died at 41, her son, my father died at 41, I will be 41 next year...

If I outlive my father and get past 41 then I only have another twenty years until I’m the age my mother died.

So I’m hoping there is no link whatsoever between my parents age at death and mine.

Not in my family. My mum is currently 10 years older than her mother was when she died. And my great granny lived 40 years longer than my granny and survived all her children.

Definitely urban myth with a touch of confirmational bias, as PP said people will remember when these things happen, particularly if their family members were young.

No- I haven't heard of this, and I can't see much evidence for it. Obviously there are too many factors other than genetics involved in life expectancy.
My mum died aged 44- her daughters are still going strong aged between 56 and 51. My husband died at 49- his father died at 77.
It must happen very occasionally but just coincidentally.

My parents are older than their parents were when they died. My dad +8 years, my mum +15 years.

On my mother's side my great grandma was 103 and my grandma is still alive at 98 so it's still too soon to say!

I've never hard it before but two of my female mother and daughter acquaintances were both >100 and another in the same family is now >90 so maybe it's the case from them. I suppose It's it unlikely if they all had access to good health care and had been brought up to keep fit and eat well.

I do hope not. Gram died at 79 and we're currently planning Mum's 80th.
Maybe I'll make that Premier Inn reservation a flexible one...

I imagine that it happens often enough by coincidence that there’s a confirmational bias. However I don’t think there’s any scientific basis to it, aside from the fact that some genetic heritage will make you more likely to live longer (or not, depending on the genes).

My paternal grandfather died reasonably young (I don’t know the exact age but 40s / 50s). My father is still going strong at 83.

My paternal grandmother died in her 80s. Her daughter - my aunt - died in her 40s. Her daughter - my cousin - is well into her 50s and still fit and well.

My maternal grandmother died in her 80s, my mother died aged 60.

So not at all borne out by my family!