Cousin Relationships

This page shows the relationship of cousins. There are several charts online showing these relationships that are more sophisticated, but this one is simple and hopefully explains the concept of the relationships.

Can you marry your first cousin? Second? Third?
Here are some sites to find out more about it.

Children of siblings are FIRST COUSINS to each other.

Children of FIRST COUSINS are SECOND COUSINS to each other.

Children of SECOND COUSINS are THIRD COUSINS to each other.

So much for the easy part. Now for the ONCE REMOVED, etc. part:
Starting with YOU, children of your FIRST COUSINS are your FIRST COUSINS, ONCE REMOVED.

Children of your FIRST COUSIN'S children, are your FIRST COUSINS, TWICE REMOVED.

So, your FIRST COUSIN'S son is your FIRST COUSIN, ONCE REMOVED.
And your FIRST COUSIN'S son's, son's daughter is..........your FIRST COUSIN, THREE TIMES, REMOVED.
Thus, your SECOND COUSIN'S child is your SECOND COUSIN, ONCE 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.

That's as hard as it gets...it's actually pretty straight forward.

But...if you're still confused, let me know and I'll be glad to try and help you.

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email: fredd@sonic.net