Gens
in Roman antiquities, a class or house, the individuals composing which were termed in reference to each other Gentiles. Each gens was made up of a certain number of branches or families (familiæ) and each familia was composed of individual members. Several gentes (plural) made up the curiæ and tribes. The members of each gens bore a common name, as the Fabian gens, the Julian gens, etc., and were united by certain common religious rites.