Monday, April 9, 2012

Cousins Explained

Cousins Explained
 
What Is a First Cousin, Twice Removed?
If someone walked up to you and said, "Howdy, I'm your third cousin, twice removed," would you have any idea what they meant? Most people have a good understanding of basic relationship words such as "mother," "father," "aunt," "uncle," "brother," and "sister." But what about the relationship terms that we don't use in everyday speech? Terms like "second cousin" and "first cousin, once removed"? We don't tend to speak about our relationships in such exact terms ("cousin" seems good enough when you are introducing one person to another), so most of us aren't familiar with what these words mean.
Relationship Terms
Sometimes, especially when working on your family history, it's handy to know how to describe your family relationships more exactly. The definitions below should help you out.
Cousin (a.k.a "first cousin")
Your first cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they are the children of your aunts and uncles.
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, and so on.
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.

Relationship Charts Simplify Everything
Now that you have an idea of what these different words mean, take a look at the chart below. It's called a relationship chart, and it can help you figure out how different people in your family are related. It's much simpler than it looks, just follow the instructions.
Instructions:
This chart attempts to explain the relationships that exist between cousins. It may be extended in either direction for as many generations as is necessary. The parents represent the common ancestors you have with your relative. Count across the top row until you reach your generation. Now count down this column until you reach your relative's generation.
parents
child
g-child
gg-child
ggg-child
gggg-child
child
brother/
sister
nephew/
niece
g-nephew/
g-niece
gg-nephew/
gg-niece
ggg-nephew/
ggg-niece
g-child
uncle/
aunt
first cousin
first cousin
once removed
first cousin
twice removed
first cousin
thrice removed
gg-child
g-uncle/
g-aunt
first cousin
once removed
second cousin
second cousin
once removed
Second cousin
twice removed
ggg-child
gg-uncle/
gg-aunt
first cousin
twice removed
second cousin
once removed
third cousin
third cousin
once removed
gggg-child
ggg-uncle/
ggg-aunt
first cousin
thrice removed
second cousin
twice removed
third cousin
once removed
fourth cousin
  This gives you your relationship to your relative. If you have only one common ancestor with your relative (perhaps this ancestor had multiple marriages), then the same chart applies but the relationships are half blood instead of full blood.  In general, the person in the first row is the ***** of the person in the first column. ***** stands for the appropriate table entry, eg. sister, uncle, second cousin, etc.
  Example: Suppose I want to find out my relationship to the son of my grandmother's brother. Then the common ancestors that we share are my great-grandparents, which are his grandparents. (I am assuming a full blood relationship). Therefore, reading from the chart we find that
parents
child
g-child
ME!
child
brother/
sister
nephew/
niece
g-nephew/
g-niece
RELATIVE!
uncle/
aunt
first cousin
first cousin
once removed
I am the first cousin once removed of this relative!

Another Chart for Figuring Relationships
On the top row, find the relationship of one person to the common ancestor and follow the column straight down. Find the other person's relationship to the common ancestor on the left-hand column and follow that row straight across. The relationship is where the projected row and column meet.
Common Ancestor
Child
Grandchild
Great Grandchild
Great Great Grandchild
Great Great Great Grandchild
GGGG Grandchild
GGGGG Grandchild
GGGGGG Grandchild
Child
Sibling
Niece or Nephew
Grand Niece or Nephew
Great Grand Niece or Nephew
Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew
GGG Grand Niece or Nephew
GGGG Grand Niece or Nephew
GGGGG Grand Niece or Nephew
Grandchild
Niece or Nephew
First Cousin
First Cousin Once Removed
First Cousin Twice Removed
First Cousin Three Times Removed
First Cousin Four Times Removed
First Cousin Five Times Removed
First Cousin Six Times Removed
Great Grandchild
Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Once Removed
Second Cousin
Second Cousin Once Removed
Second Cousin Twice Removed
Second Cousin Three Times Removed
Second Cousin Four Times Removed
Second Cousin Five Times Removed
Great Great Grandchild
Great Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Twice Removed
Second Cousin Once Removed
Third Cousin
Third Cousin Once Removed
Third Cousin Twice Removed
Third Cousin Three Times Removed
Third Cousin FourTimes Removed
GGG Grandchild
Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Three Times Removed
Second Cousin Twice Removed
Third Cousin Once Removed
Fourth Cousin
Fourth Cousin Once Removed
Fourth Cousin Twice Removed
Fourth Cousin Three Times Removed
GGGG Grandchild
GGG Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Four Times Removed
Second Cousin Three Times Removed
Third Cousin Twice Removed
Fourth Cousin Once Removed
Fifth Cousin
Fifth Cousin Once Removed
Fifth Cousin Twice removed
GGGGG Grandchild
GGGG Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Five Times Removed
Second Cousin Four Times Removed
Third Cousin Three Times Removed
Fourth Cousin Twice Removed
Fifth Cousin Once Removed
Sixth Cousin
Sixth Cousin Once Removed
GGGGGG Grandchild
GGGGG Grand Niece or Nephew
First Cousin Six Times Removed
Second Cousin Five Times Removed
Third Cousin Four Times Removed
Fourth Cousin Three Times Removed
Fifth Cousin Twice Removed
Sixth Cousin Once Removed
Seventh Cousin
(Based on the system used by courts and most genealogical societies.)