COUSINS
Cousins
To find what cousin another member of your family is to you, find the nearest common ancestor, such as a grandfather or a great-grandfather. Count the number of generations that you and your cousin are from the ancestor. If you are the same number of generations from the ancestor as your cousin, then you are first, second, third or more cousins, where the number is one less than the number of generations that you and your cousin are from the ancestor.
For example, if your nearest common ancestor is your great-grandfather, three generations away, you are second cousins.
If your cousin is a different number of generations from the ancestor, then you are first, second, third or more cousins, where the number is one less than the number of generations that the nearer of you and your cousin is from the ancestor. Your cousin is 'removed' by the number of generations he or she is away from your generation.
Your father's cousin is your first cousin once removed, and so is your cousin's son. If you wish to differentiate, your father's cousin is your first cousin once removed ascending and your cousin's son is your first cousin once removed descending.
Cousin: Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you.
Second Cousin: Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you but not the same grandparents.
Third, Fourth and Fifth Cousins: Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, etc.
Removed: When the word “removed” is used to describe a relationship it indicates that the two people are from different generations. You and your first cousins are in the same generation (two generations younger than your grandparents) so the word “removed” is NOT used to describe your relationship.
The words “once removed” mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother’s first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother’s first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals “once-removed.”
Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother’s first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.
This is how generations work:
Any first generation is parents
their children are siblings to each other...and share parents
their children are first cousins to each other...and share grandparents
their children are second cousins to each other...share great grandparents
their children are third cousins to each other...and share great great grandparents
their children are fourth cousins to each other....and share great great great grandparents
and on and on.
The 'removed' is just as simple...
The child of your first cousin is your first cousin once removed...simply, your first cousin and down (removed) a generation.
The grandchild of your first cousin is your first cousin twice removed...again, your first cousin and down (removed) two generations.
It works the same in the other direction. If you are first cousin once removed to someone, they are first cousin once removed to you also.
To find what cousin another member of your family is to you, find the nearest common ancestor, such as a grandfather or a great-grandfather. Count the number of generations that you and your cousin are from the ancestor. If you are the same number of generations from the ancestor as your cousin, then you are first, second, third or more cousins, where the number is one less than the number of generations that you and your cousin are from the ancestor.
For example, if your nearest common ancestor is your great-grandfather, three generations away, you are second cousins.
If your cousin is a different number of generations from the ancestor, then you are first, second, third or more cousins, where the number is one less than the number of generations that the nearer of you and your cousin is from the ancestor. Your cousin is 'removed' by the number of generations he or she is away from your generation.
Your father's cousin is your first cousin once removed, and so is your cousin's son. If you wish to differentiate, your father's cousin is your first cousin once removed ascending and your cousin's son is your first cousin once removed descending.
Cousin: Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you.
Second Cousin: Your second cousins are the people in your family who have the same great-grandparents as you but not the same grandparents.
Third, Fourth and Fifth Cousins: Your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents, fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents, etc.
Removed: When the word “removed” is used to describe a relationship it indicates that the two people are from different generations. You and your first cousins are in the same generation (two generations younger than your grandparents) so the word “removed” is NOT used to describe your relationship.
The words “once removed” mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother’s first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother’s first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals “once-removed.”
Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. You are two generations younger than a first cousin of your grandmother, so you and your grandmother’s first cousin are first cousins, twice removed.
This is how generations work:
Any first generation is parents
their children are siblings to each other...and share parents
their children are first cousins to each other...and share grandparents
their children are second cousins to each other...share great grandparents
their children are third cousins to each other...and share great great grandparents
their children are fourth cousins to each other....and share great great great grandparents
and on and on.
The 'removed' is just as simple...
The child of your first cousin is your first cousin once removed...simply, your first cousin and down (removed) a generation.
The grandchild of your first cousin is your first cousin twice removed...again, your first cousin and down (removed) two generations.
It works the same in the other direction. If you are first cousin once removed to someone, they are first cousin once removed to you also.