First cousins? Once (or more) removed?

[speleobat2]

Hi all,

Can someone explain the "removes" in relationship charts?

Recently, we found a couple of cousins on our mother's side of the family. Their great grandfather and our great grandfather were brothers. Their grandfather and our grandmother were cousins. So their mother and our mother were what?--second cousins? And the two of them are what to the two of us?

We all agree that we are cousins of some sort. And what is a "cousin x times removed"? None of us understands that.

Thanks ahead!

Carol

[marilyn morning]

Hi Carol,

Hopefully these links will help answer your question Have fun......

http://eogn.typepad.com/eastmans_online ... culat.html

http://www.islandregister.com/cousin.html

http://www.searchforancestors.com/utili ... lator.html

http://genealogy.about.com/library/bl_r ... p_tool.htm

http://www.rhodesfamily.org.uk/people/relationship.html

http://www.t-risinger.com/cousins.htm

http://www.cyndislist.com/cousins.htm



Regards
Marilyn

[Currie]

Hello Carol,

If you’re on the same step of the ladder away from the nearest common direct ancestor then you’re first, second, third, etc cousins and there are no stages of removal. But if you’re on different steps of that ladder then the removal process kicks in.

For example my grandmother’s first cousin is my first cousin twice removed and my mother’s first cousin once removed. That’s because we are not on the same rung away from the nearest common ancestor who in this case would be my great great grandfather.

In your case the great great grandfather is the common ancestor, the great grandfathers were brothers, the grandfather/mother were cousins, the mothers were second cousins and them and us are third cousins. Your kids would be third cousins once removed to your third cousins and fourth cousins to your third cousin’s kids. You are the first cousin twice removed to your grandfather’s cousin.

Hope that makes sense and I didn’t get it upside down,
Alan

[wini]

alan,

That just made ma heid birl.

wini

[speleobat2]

Alan,

My ladder is still wobbling. I'm going read Marilyn's links!

Thanks all,

Carol

[Anne H]

Hi Carol,
I haven't looked at Marilyn's links yet but here's another one for you that gives a nice little chart that might be a little easier to grasp.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin

Regards
Anne H

[Russell]

Hi Allan

There's gratitude for you.
I thought your explanation was clear and unambiguous. It's a difficult concept to grasp until you finally get to grips with it. Then it is perfectly clear.

Russell

[marilyn morning]

So Carol how do you rate those cousin calculators?

Regards
Marilyn

[speleobat2]

Hi Marilyn,

Haven't had a chance to look at all of them yet, but the searchforancestors calculator is very clever! Also, Anne's article from Wikepedia is helpful. I'm still a little fuzzy on the "removes", but some day that will click into place too I'm sure! In the meantime, I have lots of charts to plug people into!

Thanks for all the help!

Carol

[LesleyB]

Hi Carol
The removed bit just means you are from a different generation descended from a common ancestor; if the person is the generation before or after you, then they are once removed, if two generations away then they are twice removed etc.

Just as an interesting observation on this subject, you can end up with cousins once or twice removed who, although from different generations are actually the same age as you! ...If a couple in the 1800s had, say, ten children, and you are descended from the eldest, whilst your distant cousin is descended from the youngest of those ten, then your branch many have had time to fit in one (or even two!) more generations than the descendants of the youngest child, so, although you are both the same age, you may find you are third or fourth cousins once or twice removed....

Best wishes
Lesley