What Makes Someone A Cousin?

Our cousins are some of the best friends we have. If you have heard the term "first cousin once removed", then you may have wondered what that meant!

You share an ancestor with that person. But to understand the intricacies of the cousin relationship, you must understand that your ancestors are only the people in your direct line! These are parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.

Just about every other blood relative who isn't your sibling is your cousin. To determine your degree of cousinhood, first, second, third, and fourth, you need to identify the ancestor you share with your cousin and how many generations separate each of you from that ancestor.

• First Cousins - A first cousin is the child of your aunt or uncle. They are sometimes called a full cousin. Your grandparents are the most recent ancestors you and your first cousin will share.

• Second Cousins - A second cousin is the child of your parents' first cousins. Looking at your family tree, you will see you and your second cousins share the same great-grandparents.

• Third Cousins - A third cousin shares great-great-grandparents with you.

• Fourth Cousins - A fourth cousin shares great-great-great grandparents with you.

Continue adding "great" to each grandparent as you work your way back on your family.

Now, what is a second cousin once removed or twice removed? All cousins share a common ancestor. Your degree of cousinhood depends on how many generations back the common ancestor is.

The process of determining the cousin relations has been called "collateral degree calculation "by anthropologists. Follow the instructions on the chart below for further assistance in determining if you are a second cousin once or twice removed!

Use the slide bar below the chart to see the other lineage listed.

Common Ancestor	Child	Grandchild	Great Grandchild	Great Great Grandchild	3rd Great Grandchild	4th Great Grandchild	5th Great Grandchild	6th Great Grandchild	7th Great Grandchild
Child	Brother/ Sister	Nephew/ Niece	Grand Nephew/ Niece	Great Nephew Niece	2nd Great Nephew Niece	3rd  Great Nephew Niece	4th  Great Nephew Niece	5th Great Nephew Niece	6th Great Nephew Niece
Grandchild	Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin	1st Cousin Once Removed	1st Cousin Twice Removed	1st Cousin Three Times Removed	1st Cousin Four Times Removed	1st Cousin Five Times Removed	1st Cousin Six Times Removed	1st Cousin Seven Times Removed
Great Grandchild	Grand Nephew / Niece	1st Cousin Once Removed	2nd Cousin	2nd Cousin Once Removed	2nd Cousin Twice Removed	2nd Cousin Three Times Removed	2nd Cousin Four Times Removed	2nd Cousin Five Times Removed	2nd Cousin Six Times Removed
Great Great Grandchild	Great Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin Twice Removed	2nd  Cousin Once Removed	3rd Cousin	3rd Cousin Once Removed	3rd Cousin Twice Removed	3rd Cousin Three Times Removed	3rd Cousin Four Times Removed	3rd Cousin Five Times Removed
3rd Great Grandchild	Great Great Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin Three Times Removed	2nd  Cousin Twice Removed	3rd Cousin Once Removed	4th Cousin	4th Cousin Once Removed	4th Cousin Twice Removed	4th Cousin Three Times Removed	4th Cousin Four Times Removed
4th Great Grandchild	3rd Great Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin Four Times Removed	2nd Cousin Three Times Removed	3rd Cousin Twice Removed	4th Cousin Once Removed	5th Cousin	5th Cousin Once Removed	5th Cousin Twice Removed	5th Cousin Three Times Removed
5th Great Grandchild	4th Great Nephew / Niece	1st Cousin Five Times Removed	2nd Cousin Four Times Removed	3rd Cousin Three Removed	4th Cousin Twice Removed	5th Cousin Once Removed	6th Cousin	6th Cousin Once Removed	6th Cousin Twice Removed
6th Great Grandchild	5th Great Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin Six Times Removed	2nd Cousin Five Times Removed	3rd Cousin Four Times Removed	4th Cousin Three Times Removed	5th Cousin Twice Removed	6th Cousin Once Removed	7th Cousin	7th Cousin Once Removed
7th Great Grandchild	6th Great Nephew/ Niece	1st Cousin Seven Times Removed	2nd Cousin Six Times Removed	3rd Cousin Five Times Removed	4th Cousin Four Times Removed	5th Cousin Three Times Removed	6th Cousin Twice Removed	7th Cousin Once Removed	8th Cousin

To Use the Relationship Chart

                First, find your common ancestor on the top row.

                Second, find the relationship of the other person to the common ancestor in the left column.

                Where the row and column intersect is your relationship to that person.

     Example:

   You are the great-grandchild of your Ancestor.   The other person is the great-great-grandchild of the same Ancestor.

1. You are the third one to the right from the Common Ancestor at the top of the chart

2. The other person is the fourth one down from the Common Ancestor on the left column.

3. They intersect at 2nd cousin, once removed.    That is your relationship to the other person.

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 in 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.

Yes, this is very confusing! I generally make a kinship chart for each family group I work on. Trust me, the more you use this chart, the easier it gets to understand.

Please contact me if you need assistance in your genealogy journey.

geneal@laurel.lib.ms.us or 601-428-4313, ext 111 (voice mail is available)

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