One of the most exciting parts of family history research is that it can lead you to meet new cousins from other branches of your family who are tracing the same common ancestors. You might find someone with the same relatives on their tree on a family history website, or match with a distant relative through DNA testing.
What is a second cousin?
When working out your cousin relationships to distant relatives, a crucial principle is that the terms first cousin, second cousin etc refer to your shared ancestors. A second cousin is someone who has the same great grandparents as you but not the same grandparents. A third cousin is connected to you by the same 2x great grandparents, and so on. Your first cousins are those who share the same grandparents as you.
What is a second cousin once removed
However, the term ‘removed’ indicates the difference in generations. Your second cousin once removed is the child or parent of your second cousin, because they are one generation removed from you. So, they share great grandparents with you but they are not the same generation as you. Your second cousin twice removed is the grandparent or grandchild of your second cousin, because they are two generations removed.
How to work out cousin relationships
Luckily, our handy chart is designed to help you work out your cousin relationships at a glance. To use it, choose the relative you are trying to work out your relationship to. Next, choose the first ancestor you have in common – for example, your great grandparents.
Look along one axis of the chart until you find how this common ancestor would describe you – great grandchild.
Now, select how your relative is related to the common ancestor in the other axis. In this example, they are also their great grandchild.
Where the two lines meet is the name of your cousin relationship – in this case, second cousins.
