filius nullius (fil-ee-[schwa]s n[schwa]-lI-[schwa]s). [Latin “son of nobody”] Hist. An illegitimate child. — Also termed filius populi. “I proceed next to the rights and incapacities which appertain to a bastard. The rights are very few, being only such as he can acquire; for he can inherit nothing, being looked upon as the son of nobody; […]
nullius filius (n[schwa]-lI-[schwa]s fil-ee-[schwa]s), n. [Latin “son of no one”] An illegitimate child. [Cases: Children Out-of-Wedlock 1. C.J.S. Children Out-of-Wedlock §§ 2–11.]
A child who was not conceived or born in lawful wedlock, nor later legitimated. • At common law, such a child was considered the child of nobody (nullius filius) and had no name except one that was gained by reputation. Being no one’s child, an illegitimate child could not inherit, even from the mother, but
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