Genealogy 101

When someone introduces themselves as your second cousin once-removed, have you ever wondered what that meant? The terms below will help you understand some of the different relationships.

Child
Your son or daughter.

Sibling
Your brother or sister.

Parent
Your mother or father.

Niece
Female child of a sibling.

Nephew
Male child of a sibling.

Grand Niece or Grand Nephew (Great Niece or Great Nephew)
Grandchild of your sibling. Each generation past this adds another ‘Great’ to the relationship.

Maternal
Your mother’s side of the family.

Paternal
Your father’s side of the family.

Aunt
Sister of your mother or father or the wife of your uncle.

Uncle
Brother of your mother or father or the husband of your aunt.

Grand Aunt or Grand Uncle (Great Aunt or Great Uncle)
Aunt or uncle of your mother or father. Each generation past your parent(s) adds another ‘Great’ to the relationship.

First Cousin
Child of your aunt or uncle.

Second Cousin
Child of first cousins who share the same great grandparents, but have different grandparents.

Third, Fourth, etc., Cousins
Child of second cousins who share the same 2nd great grandparents, but have different great grandparents, etc.

First Cousin Once Removed, etc.
When ‘Removed’ is used in the instance of cousins, it indicates that there is a generation difference between the cousins. Example: Your father’s first cousin is your first cousin once removed. Your grandfather’s first cousin is your first cousin twice removed. The number, once, twice, third removed, etc., indicates the number of generations you are removed from the cousin.

Grandchild (Grandson or Granddaughter)
Child of your child.

Grandparent (Grandmother, Grandfather)
Parent(s) of your mother or father.

Great Grandparent (Great Grandmother, Great Grandfather)
Parent(s) of your grandparent(s); grandparent(s) of your mother or father. Each generation past your grandparent(s) adds another ‘Great’ to the relationship.