How many different cousins can you have like your 1st cousin, 2nd cousin, 3rd cousin......what?

Question

Could someone explain these?

Answer 1

Siblings share at least one parent.

First cousins (or just 'cousins') share at least one grand parent.

Second cousins share at least one great grand parent, and so on.

In theory this could go on for some time. Although, relevancy becomes nearly unrecognizably diluted after four or five generations.

All of the above are 'first order' cousins -- describing people of the same generation. 'First cousin once removed' is when one cousin's grandparent is the other cousin's great grand parent. The relatives are one generation apart or 'once removed'.

For instance, my first cousins' children are my 'first cousins once removed'. Likewise, the children of my first cousin once removed will be my 'first cousin twice removed.' Again, removals can in theory relate people to very large orders yet an order of two or three covers several generations. Beyond that means the relations are likely posthumous (both relatives are not alive anymore).

Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin for a more lengthy explanation and more examples.

Answer 2

Depends on how many generations are in your family. Your first cousin is your aunt or uncle's child. If your first cousin has a child, that's your second cousin. When that second cousin has a child, that's your third cousin. When that third cousin has a child, 4th cousin.etc...
If you figure a generation is about 12-15 years,
most people only get up to about 4 or 5 generations.
That would take you up to between 75-90 years old. Most people don't make it to that far, these days, so what I'm saying is that while the generations will keep going, you probably will only live to see up to your 4th or 5th cousins.

Answer 3

Well, when considering how two folks are related, you take the person closest to your common ancestral couple. Now, count generations the closest one of you is from that ancestor, and subtract one (i.e. three generations down and you will be second cousins). If both you and the other person are at the same level, that's the number cousin you are. If the other person is further down the line from your common ancestor than you, they are "removed" from you by however many generations they are away from you. Simple, huh?
If you share a single ancestor, not a couple (because of multiple marriages, or unions, of one person), the same rules apply, except that you are a half cousin to the other person.

Multiple relationships. You can be related to a person in more than one way. If you share more than one common ancestral couple, you have a multiple relationship with that person. The term "double cousin", in my part of the country at any rate, is a special form of multiple relationship where first cousins share both sets of grandparents through the marrying of two siblings in one family to two siblings of another family.

Answer 4

Lots, depending how far you go out.

Your 1st cousins are the children of your aunts and uncles. In other words, the children of brothers and sisters are 1st cousins. The children of the 1st cousins are 2nd cousins to each other. The grandchildren of the 1st cousins are 3rd cousins, etc. Great grandchildren of the 1st cousins are 4th cousins.

In other words, my children and the children of my 1st cousins are 2nd cousins. My grandchildren and the grandchildren of my 1st cousins are 3rd cousins.

These all assume that you are comparing the same generation. What is the relationship of you to your 1st cousin's children? That relationship is 1st cousin, once removed. The relationship of you to your 1st cousin's grandchildren is 1st cousin, twice removed. The relationship of you to your 2nd cousin's grandchildren would be 2nd cousin, twice removed.

1st cousins have the same grandparents, but not the same parents. 2nd cousins have the same great grandparents, but not the same grandparents, 3rd cousins have the same great-great grandparents, but not the same great grandparents.

Answer 5

It's like two mirrors facing each other; it stretches on and on and on and... you get the point. Technically we are all related if you trace it back far enough. In the view of most laws, you stop being prevented to marry someone at the 2nd cousin 3 times removed or 3rd cousin, twice removed. 2nd cousin, thrice removed would be your cousins grandchild and 3rd cousin, twice removed would be your parents cousin grandchild. Generally most people stop or loose close ties after 3rd link.

Answer 6

Unlimited number. Your first cousin is the child of one of your parent's siblings (your aunts/uncles). Your first cousin's child (when they have one) is your second cousin once removed. Your second cousin's child is your second cousin twice removed. It keeps going and going from there, and really, after the first cousin it's kind of like they are all more or less strangers anyway so don't worry about it.

Answer 7

This is a rather funny quesiton because my ex's family and I would always argue about it. To them everyone is a cousing to me it goes something like this:
If your mom and her sister have kids (in this case you) they are first cousins, the kids of those kids (in this case your kids) are second cousing (your cousin's child is your nephew) and the kids of those kids (in this case your grandchildren) are third cousins (you would be their great-aunt).

Any how.. is is how we see it in our family.

Answer 8

Your first cousins are your moms sisters children, your moms brothers children. Your dads sisters children, your dads brothers children. Those are all your first cousins.

Your second cousins are...your first cousins children.

Your third cousins are your moms and dads cousins childrens.

Does it make sence?

Answer 9

im sorry but this answer is biblical

were ALL related to one another...our common ancestors are adam and eve....so the answer would be unlimited numbers of cousins

Answer 10

In Serbia,for every such a "cousin",we have different names.For instance, my aunt's daughter is -literally translating- my "sister from the aunt" ;my uncle's daughter is my"sister from the uncle",my brother from the aunt and brother from the uncle.Their
children have their own names,something like "sisterinne" ("sister junior") and "Brothery"(brother junior).The same is for my sister's children,but if my sister is from my own parents,then we call it-literally-"sister by birth"or "my born sister".
If my mother's sister from the aunt has a daughter,then to my mother that is "sisterinne",but to me she is then "sister from the aunt".we just add "further"in front of word "sister",to emphasize that it is not my sister from nearest aunt(mother's "born" sister),but from more distant relative(mother's sister-from- the- aunt.)