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Family Relationships

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  Take a look at this excerpt from a very helpful article from FamilySearch by Jessica Grimaud located at https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/cousin-chart/ to better understand how we are related. There is even a cousin calculator at the end of that page to help you find your way through our enormous family!
    In my understanding, the whole naming of cousins, boils down to a grandparent or great-grandparent in common. 
  • First cousins share a grandparent (2 generations)
  • Second cousins share a great-grandparent (3 generations)
   Basically, you don't start counting 2nd cousins till you share a great-grandparent. 3rd cousins come into play when you share a great-great-grandparent. Everything from a common grandparent only is once or twice or thrice removed. As you read through this article, you will be able to easily place all your cousins in focus.
   See the Cousin Calculator at http://fh.familysearch.org/system/files/team/ait/images/blog/cousin-calculator-2.jpg

Cousin Chart—Family Relationships Explained

Ever found yourself asking “So what exactly is a second cousin?” or debating with your family and friends about what it means to be a “first cousin once removed”? Use our cousin chart to settle the debate once and for all!

What Is a Cousin?

Cousins are people who share a common ancestor that is at least 2 generations away, such as a grandparent or great-grandparent. You and your siblings are not cousins because your parents are only 1 generation away from you.

Simple enough, right? But what does it mean to have a second or third or fourth cousin?

Cousin Chart. Cousins explained

What Is a Second Cousin?

The number associated with your cousin has to do with how many generations away your common ancestor is. For example:

Quick Tip: Count how many “greats” are in your common ancestor’s title and add 1 to find out what number cousin your relative is. Note that grandparents have no “greats” in their titles, so cousins who share grandparents are first cousins because 0 + 1 = 1. However, keep in mind that this trick only works if you are both the same number of generations removed from the common ancestor.

Sometimes you and your cousin may share a common ancestor, but you each call this ancestor something different. For example, the common ancestor may be your great-grandparent, but your cousin’s great-great grandparent.

This is where the phrase “once removed” comes in handy.

What Does it Mean to be a Cousin “Once Removed”?

To be a “once removed” from a cousin means you are separated by 1 or more generations.

If you look at the cousin chart above, you’ll see that each row is color-coded by generation. You, your siblings, and your first, second, and third cousins are all of the same generation.

You may have noticed that the boxes labeled “cousin once removed” are either from one generation above or below you. You are “once removed” if you are separated by 1 generation and “twice removed” if you are separated by 2 generations, and so on.

Quick Tip: Your parent’s first, second, and third cousins are also your first, second, and third cousins—but once removed. This is because your parents and their generation are 1 above yours. Likewise, your grandparents’ first, second, and third cousins are also your first, second, and third cousins, this time twice removed. This pattern continues throughout each generation. So, for example, a first cousin once removed is either the child of your first cousin or the parent of your second cousin.