Family question?

Question

What does once removed mean? I was reading up on family trees on the internet and that phrase comes up quite abit.

Answer 1

It is a relationship between 2 people who are cousins, meaning they share a common ancestor, but are not in the same generation from that ancestor.

Example:

Your parents siblings (your aunt/uncle) kids are your first cousins.  You and they share the same grandparents.  When your first cousins have kids, they will be your first cousin once removed.  This is because you and they share a common ancestor, but their relationship to that ancestor is not the same as yours.........they are one generation removed from that ancestor.  The ancestor is your grandparent, but is their great-grandparent.

Answer 2

They are one generation up or down.

Your parents' cousins are your cousins once removed.

Your grandparents' cousins are your cousins twice removed.

and so on.

Your cousins' children are your cousins once removed.

Your cousins' grandchildren are your cousins twice removed.

The degree (1st, 2nd, 3rd) stays the same. If your 5th great grandfather's first cousin was George Washington, GW would be your first cousin too - only 8 times removed.