Naturales Law and Legal Definition
Naturales are illegitimate children born of a concubine. Under Roman law a distinction was made between illegitimates born of a concubine, and those born of a prostitute. The illegitimates born of a concubine were styled naturales, and those born of a prostitute were called spurii. The concubine had a legal relation to the family, which was sanctioned by the church down to the Council of Trent; and by subsequent marriage her offspring were made legitimate. The naturales were not only lawful heirs of the mother, but were entitled to support from the father. The spurii had no legal rights of inheritance or to a support. [DICKINSON APPEAL FROM PROBATE, 42 Conn. 491, 501-502 (Conn. 1875)].
