Genealogy - what relation is this person to my son?

Question

There's a famous 19th century poet in my family tree (I'll call him "FP," for Famous Poet), and I want to determine what relation he is to my son, if there is a name that can be put on that relationship...

My son's great-times-ten grandfather (that's 10 "greats") had a brother. That brother had a great-grandson, and he's the FP in question.

So the FP's great-uncle is my son's great-times-ten grandfather.

Is there a simple way to explain what the FP's relationship is to my son? My son is not a direct descendant, but the FP is definitely in the family tree!

Thanks!

Answer 1

3rd cousins, 9 times removed

Edit: It's 9 times removed, not 10...Genevieve's explanation is correct, but she seems to have accidentally added one too many generations in her second list (compare it to her first list).

Please, at least give us a hint who "FP" is! ;)

Answer 2

You have to count relationships from the common ancestor. In this case that isn't the brothers, it's their father.

1. FP's 2nd ggf (aka your son's 11th ggf)

2. FP's ggf and your son's 10th ggf

3. FP's gf and your son's 9th ggf

4. FP's father and your son's 8th ggf

5. FP and your son's 7th ggf

6. Your son's 6th ggf

7. Your son's 5th ggf

8. Your son's 4th ggf

9. Your son's 3rd ggf

10. Your son's 2nd ggf

11.Your son's ggf

12. Your son's gf

13. Your son's father

14. Your son

The first generation is the common link between FP and your son

The second generation were brothers

The third generation were first cousins

The fourth generation were second cousins

The fifth generation were third cousins - so that's the last generation with a direct "cousin" relationship. From there, every generation is one removed

6 - 3rd cousins once removed

7 - 3rd cousins twice removed

8 - 3rd cousins 3x removed

9 - 3rd cousins 4x removed

10 - 3rd cousins 5x removed

11 - 3rd cousins 6x removed

12 - 3rd cousins 7x removed

13 - 3rd cousins 8x removed

14 - 3rd cousins 9x removed

15 - 3rd cousins 10x removed

So after 15 generations, they are third cousins, ten times removed. If you're looking for a chart, here's one that doesn't extend out 15 generations, but it will help him visualize it: http://genealogy.about.com/library/nrela...

Answer 3

Each great or grand represents ONE generation; e.g., father is one generation, grandfather is one generation, so by that you are talking about a common ancestor 12 generations ago.

Subtract 2 as you said FP is the great-nephew of the gggggg (x) grandfather, so he would be uncle X 10 greats.

Answer 4

I believe that they would be third cousins, nine times removed.  If I counted the generations correctly.

G10  -   Brother

G9 - (1st cousin) - Son

G8 - (2nd cousin) - Grandson

G7 - (3rd cousin) - FP

G6 - (3rd 1x rem)

G5 - (3rd 2x rem)

G4 - (3x removed)

G3  - (4x removed)

G2 - (5x)

Great grandfather - (6x)

Grandfather - (7x)

Father - (8x)

Son - (3rd cousin, 9 times removed)