How To Determine Relationship

Have you ever wondered exactly how you were related to some other person?

Are you confused with terms like "once removed"?

Follow the chart to determine your genetic link to your cousin.

The Chart illustrates the relationship between YOURSELF and a common ancestor.
It could be extended indefinitely.
Persons with a common GRANDFATHER are FIRST cousins.
Persons with a common GREAT-GRANDFATHER are SECOND cousins.
Persons with a common GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER are THIRD cousins.

In order to determine your degree of relationship to any other descendant of a common ancestor :-

To determine the relationship of two persons (persons "A" and "B"), find person "A" in the row to the right of the Common Ancestor.

Find person "B" in the column below the Common Ancestor. Then,simply follow the column of person "A" down to the box where it intersects with the row of person "B".

If person "A" is three generations (Great-Grandson/Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, and person "B" is also three generations (Great-Grandson/Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, the box where their respective column and row intersect shows that they are Second Cousins.
If person "A" is two generations (Grandson or Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, and person "B" is three generations (Great-Grandson or Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, the box where their respective column and row intersect shows that they are first cousins once removed (your fathers first cousin).
If person "A" is four generations (2nd Great-Grandson or Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, and person "B" is three generations (Great-Grandson or Daughter) from the Common Ancestor, the box where their respective column and row intersect shows that they are second cousins once removed (the child of your second cousin).

There is an ambiguity in that “first cousin once removed” may be either your father`s first cousin or your first cousin`s child. These may be distinguished by “ascending” or “descending”.

Relationship Chart
Generations from Common Ancestor	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
0	COMMON ANCESTOR	Son or Daughter	Grandson or Daughter	Great Grandson or Daughter	2nd Great Grandson or Daughter	3rd Great Grandson or Daughter	4th Great Grandson or Daughter	5th Great Grandson or Daughter	6th Great Grandson or Daughter	7th Great Grandson or Daughter
1	Son or Daughter	Siblings (Brother or Sister)	Nephew or Niece	Grand Nephew or Niece	Great Grand Nephew or Niece	2nd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	3rd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	4th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	5th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	6th Great Grand Nephew or Niece
2	Grandson or Daughter	Nephew or Niece	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	First Cousin Seven Times Removed
3	Great Grandson or Daughter	Grand Nephew or Niece	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	Second Cousin Six Times Removed
4	2nd Great Grandson or Daughter	Great Grand Nephew or Niece	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 Four Times Removed	Second Cousin Five Times Removed
5	3rd Great Grandson or Daughter	2nd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	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	Fourth Cousin Four Times Removed
6	4th Great Grandson or Daughter	3rd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	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	Fifth Cousin Three Times Removed
7	5th Great Grandson or Daughter	4th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	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	Sixth Cousin Twice Removed
8	6th Great Grandson or Daughter	5th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Six Times Removed	Second Cousin Five Times Removed	Third Cousin Four Times Removed	Fourth Cousin Three Times Removed	Fifth Cousin Twice Removed	Sixth Cousin Once Removed	Seventh Cousin	Seventh Cousin Once Removed
9	7th Great Grandson or Daughter	6th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Seven Times Removed	Second Cousin Six Times Removed	Third Cousin Five Times Removed	Fourth Cousin Four Times Removed	Fifth Cousin Three Times Removed	Sixth Cousin Twice Removed	Seventh Cousin Once Removed	Eighth Cousin

Want a copy of the relationship chart?
Then you can download it here in PDF format. Right Click To Download and Save File

Relationship Chart PDF

Home

Page Created January 13th 2004