| Cousins | | | | 8th great grandchild of the same ancestor. In this |
| In everyday life, we rarely (if ever) refer to | | | | case you would start with the closest one, the |
| someone as "my second cousin once removed." | | | | 5th great grandchild. If you assume for the |
| It suffices to simply refer to them as a "cousin." | | | | moment that both of the individuals in question |
| But, when doing genealogy, we usually want to be | | | | were in the same generation, we know that they |
| more precise about relationships, although it can | | | | would be sixth cousins, because we would add 1 |
| be confusing to understand what these | | | | to the generation. So we start with 'sixth cousins.' |
| relationships mean once we know them. | | | | Then we need to determine what the removal |
| A "cousin" in general is someone who has the | | | | designation is. |
| same ancestors as you do (or two other people | | | | Put simply, the removal designation represents |
| who have common ancestors.) We are all familiar | | | | the difference between the two generations. So |
| with terms like "second cousin," "third cousin" etc. | | | | in our example of a 5th great grandchild and an |
| We have also heard cousins described as once, | | | | 8th great grandchild, they would be 3 times |
| twice or three times removed. At that point we | | | | removed from each other. A 6th Great |
| usually just scratch our heads and go on to the | | | | Grandchild and a 2nd Great Grandchild would be 4 |
| next topic. | | | | times removed, etc. |
| But it really isn't that hard to get a working | | | | Putting these two concepts together then, we |
| understanding of the relationships surrounding | | | | can determine the cousinship between any two |
| cousins, if you learn just 2 simple concepts: | | | | descendents of a common ancestor. Let's take a |
| 1. Cousins with no removal designations are in the | | | | hypothetical example. |
| same generation, or to put it another way, they | | | | Let's say that you have discovered that one set |
| are the same distance away from the common | | | | of your direct ancestors were also the |
| ancestor. | | | | grandparents of George Washington. How are you |
| 2. The term 'removed' is applied when the two | | | | and George Washington related? Well first, |
| people in question are in different generations, or | | | | George is the closest to the ancestors in question, |
| in other words, they are of differing distances | | | | so you start with him. Being their grandson, and |
| from the common ancestor. | | | | being in the first generation in which cousins are |
| So let's examine what that means. | | | | found, your relationship to George would be that |
| Cousins with no removal designations are in the | | | | of first cousin. To determine the level of removal |
| same generation. | | | | you now need to look at your own lineage. You |
| This means that in relation to a common | | | | discover that you are the 7th great grandchild of |
| ancestor, they would both be 3rd great | | | | these ancestors. The difference between your |
| grandchildren, or 5th great grandchildren etc. | | | | generation and George's generation is 7. This |
| Going the other way around, if you have two | | | | would make you and George Washington first |
| individuals who are both 4th great grandchildren, | | | | cousins 7 times removed. |
| then you know that they will simply be cousins of | | | | You may be wondering how this is different from |
| some level with no removal designation. | | | | seventh cousins once removed. Seventh cousins |
| To determine what level of cousins they are, | | | | would BOTH have to be AT LEAST 7 generations |
| simply add 1 to the generation. If they are 3rd | | | | from the common ancestor. The once removed |
| great grandchildren, then they are 4th cousins. If | | | | part would put one of the two into the 8th |
| they are 5th great grandchildren, then they are | | | | generation. |
| 6th cousins, etc. Great grandchildren are not | | | | So here are the steps to take when determining |
| usually called 1st great grandchildren, but the | | | | the cousinship between any two descendants of |
| number is understood, and so cousins in this | | | | a common ancestor: |
| generation, by adding 1, would be 2nd cousins. | | | | 1. Determine the generation of each individual in |
| By the same token, if you know that they are | | | | relation to the common ancestor. |
| 4th cousins, then you also know that they share | | | | 2. If they are in the same generation, then just |
| 3rd great grandparents in common. | | | | add one to the generation and that is your cousin |
| The term 'removed' is applied when the two | | | | level. |
| people in question are in different generations. | | | | 3. If they are in different generations, take the |
| For example, if you have a 3rd great grandchild, | | | | closest one to the ancestor, add one, and that is |
| and a 5th great grandchild, you will have a | | | | your cousin level. |
| removal designation. It's not really difficult to | | | | 4. Determine the difference between the two |
| determine what their actual relationship is, including | | | | generations and that is your removal level. |
| the removal designation. All you need to know is | | | | As a side note, people today often refer to the |
| the relationship of both individuals to the common | | | | children of their cousins as their second cousins. |
| ancestor. | | | | This is technically inaccurate. The children of your |
| To determine the actual relationship, you start | | | | cousins are your first cousins once removed. Your |
| with the one that is closest to the ancestor in | | | | children would be their second cousins. |
| question. Cousinship begins with grandchildren, as | | | | Aunts and Uncles |
| that is the first generation in which cousins are | | | | Figuring out relationships to Aunts and Uncles is a |
| found. Anyone in this generation in relation to the | | | | bit easier. If one person is a child of a common |
| common ancestor is a first cousin to all other | | | | ancestor, and another person is a grandchild or |
| descendants of that ancestor at the grandchild | | | | lower of that same ancestor through another |
| level and below. So if you are comparing a | | | | child, then an aunt or uncle / nephew or niece |
| grandchild and a 5th great grandchild, they would | | | | relationship exists. The level is determined by |
| still be first cousins. This is where the removal | | | | subtracting 1 from the generation of the |
| designation comes in. | | | | grandchild. |
| Because grandchildren are the starting place for | | | | For example, if you are the 6th great grandchild |
| determining cousinship, they have the designator | | | | of the ancestor in question, then the siblings of |
| of 0. So a 5th Great Grandchild compared with a | | | | the child who is in your direct line would be your |
| Grandchild would be five times removed. It does | | | | 5th great grand uncles and aunts, and you would |
| not matter which of the two is in the grandchild | | | | be their 5th great grand nephew or niece. |
| generation. | | | | As with grandparents, the first generation after |
| But what happens if you have descendants of | | | | uncle and aunt (or niece and nephew) is grand |
| generations lower than the first one? For | | | | uncle/aunt, and then great grand uncle/aunt. After |
| example, lets take a 5th great grandchild and an | | | | that you start with 2nd great grands. |