Cousin Relationships

A Chart for Figuring Relationships

From WOW!'s Genealogy Section

You are looking for the relationship between you and another person. You must have a common ancestor, for example your great grandfather is their father. On the top row, find the relationship of one person to the common ancestor and follow the column straight down. Find the other person's relationship to the common ancestor on the left hand column and follow that row straight across. The relationship is where the projected row and column meet.

For example, Keith is my cousin. His son, Gregory Mark wants to know his relationship is to me. Let's find the common ancestor by following each person "up the line". Gregory's father is Keith, Keith's father is Frank, Frank's father is Turner. My father is Philip, Philip's father is Turner. We now have a common ancestor - Gregory is the Great Grandchild of Turner, I am the Grandchild of Turner. So looking on the table on the fourth column and the third row I am his first cousin once removed.

Common Ancestor	Child	Grandchild	Great Grandchild	Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandchild
Child	Sibling	Niece or Nephew	Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Great Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew
Grandchild	Niece or Nephew	First Cousin	First Cousin Once Removed	First Cousin Twice Removed	First Cousin Three Times Removed	First Cousin Four Times Removed	First Cousin Five Times Removed	First Cousin Six Times Removed
Great Grandchild	Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin	Second Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed	Second Cousin Three Times Removed	Second Cousin Four Times Removed	Second Cousin Five Times Removed
Great Great Grandchild	Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Twice Removed	Second Cousin Once Removed	Third Cousin	Third Cousin Once Removed	Third Cousin Twice Removed	Third Cousin Three Times Removed	Third Cousin FourTimes Removed
Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Three Times Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed	Third Cousin Once Removed	Fourth Cousin	Fourth Cousin Once Removed	Fourth Cousin Twice Removed	Fourth Cousin Three Times Removed
Great Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Four Times Removed	Second Cousin Three Times Removed	Third Cousin Twice Removed	Fourth Cousin Once Removed	Fifth Cousin	Fifth Cousin Once Removed	Fifth Cousin Twice removed
Great Great Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Five Times Removed	Second Cousin Four Times Removed	Third Cousin Three Times Removed	Fourth Cousin Twice Removed	Fifth Cousin Once Removed	Sixth Cousin	Sixth Cousin Once Removed
Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Six Times Removed	Second Cousin Five Times Rremoved	Third Cousin FourTimes Removed	Fourth Cousin Three Times Removed	Fifth Cousin Twice Removed	Sixth Cousin Once Removed	Seventh Cousin

(Based on the system used by courts and most genealogical societies.)