what's the difference between a cousin a second cousin and a cousin once removed?

Answer 1

A good way to remember 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cousins is:
If your common ancestor is a set of grandparents than you are first cousins.
If your common ancestor is a set of great grandparents than you are second cousins
If your common ancestor is a set of great great grandparents than you are third cousins, etc.

The once removed stuff is where it gets tricky for some people. Once removed means that they are one generation removed from the degree of cousin you are talking about. The generations are "uneven" so to speak. A first cousin once removed is NOT the same as a second cousin. For instance, if your first cousin had a baby, the baby would be your first cousin once removed. If you had a baby also, it would be second cousins with your cousins baby (because their common ancestors are a set of great grandparents) , but would again be first cousin once removed to your cousin.

Here is a chart that might help.
http://genealogy.about.com/library/nrelationshipchart.htm
If you scroll down below the table, the instructions expaining the chart are below.

I hope this helps

Answer 2

Ok this is super confusing, but I will do my best to explain it. A cousin is one of your parents brother or sisters' kid. So a aunt or uncle's child would be your cousin. A second cousin is your cousin's child. So they have the same great-grandparents as you., but not the same grandparents. The words "once removed" mean that there is a difference of one generation. For example, your mother's first cousin is your first cousin, once removed. This is because your mother's first cousin is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents. This one-generation difference equals "once removed. Sorry its so confusing.
Hope this helps :)

Answer 3

HSK is right. You are first, 2nd or 3rd cousins etc. without any removes if you are in the same generation coming down from a common ancestor.

Many people have mistakenly thought their first cousins children were their second cousins. That is an error. Your first cousins children are your first cousins once removed. Your children and your first cousins children are 2nd cousins because they are in the same generation coming down from their grandparents.

Answer 4

Cousin once removed is that you are a generation
apart For example I am 1st cousin 11 times removed from Oliver Cromwell. We are still first cousins but 11 generations apart

Answer 5

A cousin is a child born to your aunt or uncle.
A second cousin is a child born to a cousin ie my fathers cousins children are my 2nd cousins.
A first cousin once removed would be any children born to your immediate cousins ie if my cousin Kate had kids her children would be my first cousin once removed.
Its a little confusing and its something you typically only run into in the South. I had actually never heard of first cousins once removed until I was reading a book on rednecks. I hope this makes sense. Good luck!!

Answer 6

You have to look for the relative you have in common. If you have a grandmother/grandfather in common you're first cousins, If you have a great grandmother/ great grandfather in common you're second cousins.

So if you and the other person's parents are brother/sister you're first cousins. If you and the other person's grandparents are siblings then you're second cousins.

Answer 7

first cousins share grandparents. second cousins have the same great-grandparents. the "once removed" part has to do with the offspring of your first and second cousins.

Answer 8

im guessing your asking seriously like not joking. as relation to you~
cousin-parents siblings child
2nd cousin-parents siblings child's child
cousin 1ce removed-a cousin removed means the realtion you had to them they are divorced like if kin by marrige.

Answer 9

Absolutely excellent answer HSK...

I have never seen it explained more clearly.