On family trees.... what does it mean by first cousin "once removed"?

Question

Im confused.. in my family tree there are alot of first, second cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.. "once removed or twice removed.. Removed from what??

Answer 1

It's a generation thing. Maybe a better way to visualize is to enter "canon law relationships" in the search box.  You can go from a common ancestor to various relationships. Worked good for my German "5th cousin, once removed" and me !

Answer 2

i think it means that there closer related to you.....and once removed im not sure maybe your aunt or uncle got married and had a kid witch is your cousin.and they arnt your fully cousin.

Answer 3

Once removed means that you're cousins, but you're one generation apart.  Twice removed means you're 2 generations apart.

Look at the chart below for an example. John and Mary have 2 kids, James and Molly.  James has a kid Fred, Fred has a kid Sam, Sam has a kid Mike.  Molly has a kid Sarah;  Sarah's kid is Lisa, and Lisa's kid is Jenny.  The chart shows how the cousins in the same generations are related to each other:

                   John + Mary (husband and wife)

Generation 1:  James.....siblings.....Molly

Generation 2:  Fred....1st cousins...Sarah

Generation 3:  Sam...2nd cousins...Lisa

Generation 4:  Mike...3rd cousins...Jenny

Fred and Sarah are 1st cousins.  Fred is also a cousin to Sarah's child Lisa... but they're one generation apart from each other, making them 1st cousins once removed.  Fred and Jenny are 1st cousins twice removed.

You read the chart across, then down.  Sam and Lisa are 2nd cousins.  Sam and Jenny are 2nd cousins once removed.

I hope that makes sense!

Answer 4

LOL I like how you say "Removed from what?".  I know it is confusing - it took me a while to figure it out.  

You should know that the answer directly above me, the last 2 sentences are incorrect.  Yes, If you have a first cousin, his son is your first cousin once removed.  But you are also his first cousin once removed and the same child would be your child's second cousin.

This is how I have to look at it so it makes sense.

The term once removed means one generation away from you.  For instance:

Your fathers 1st cousin = your 1st cousin once removed

Your grandfather's 1st cousin = your 1st cousin twice removed

Your great great.grandfather's 1st cousin = your 1st cousin three times removed

and so on....

This applies for both ascending or descending generations, in other words,

Your 1st cousin's child = your 1st cousin once removed

Your 1st cousin's grandchild = your1st cousin twice removed, and so on...

As for 2nd cousins:

Your father's cousin's child = your 2nd cousin

Your grandfather's cousin's grandchild = your 3rd cousin

and so on....

To be any kind of cousin, you have to have a common ancestor. Your 1st cousin and you have the same grandparents, your 2nd cousin and you have the same great grandparents.

:-) Hope this makes sense

If you want to see a chart that explains this, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin#Cous...

Answer 5

Once removed is your cousin's child.

If you have a first cousin, his son is your first cousin once removed.  But you are his second cousin.  The same child would be your son's second cousin once removed.

Hello is clueless.

Answer 6

I think it means that they;re your cousin from your uncle or aunts first wife....