What's the diffrence between a "second cousin" and a "cousin once removed"?

Answer 1

A second cousin, you share the same great-grandparents. In other words, one of his parents and one of your parents are first cousins to each other.

A first cousin once removed, is your first cousin's child.

Your children and your first cousin's children would be second cousins to each other.

Answer 2

a second cousin is where your cousin had a baby. A cousin once removed it where you are related to someone but they divorce the wife and you belong now on the wifes side. so that makes the wife your cousin once removed because she is related by marriage.

Answer 3

Hey Mike! This is a great question, one that stumps me ALL the time! Lucky for us, there's a really nifty chart for this on the Wikipedia's page for "Cousin." Check it out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin#Family_tree

Most of us know that our aunt/uncle's children are our first cousins. But, there are TWO ways to have a first cousin once removed - either your cousin's children, or your great aunt or uncle's children would be your first cousin once removed.

Your second cousin is simply your great aunt/uncle's grandchild. This would make them the child of your first cousin once removed, BUT only those that's parents were your great aunt or uncle, NOT from your cousin's children. Your cousin's grandchildren would instead be your first cousin TWICE removed (which confusingly enough is the same as your Great Great Aunt/Uncle's child!).

This is WAY too confusing, and I'm always looking it up when I have a family gathering to go to, trying to get it straight. Never fails though, that I goof it up and wind up calling everyone my cousin and dropping all the firsts and removed parts altogether!

Answer 4

You and your siblings have the same parents.
You and your first cousins have the same grandparents.
You and your second cousins have the same great-grandparents.
You and your third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents.

Your first cousin once removed is the child of your first cousin or your parent's cousin.
Your second cousin once removed is your parent's second cousin or the child of your second cousin.
Your third cousin once removed is your parent's third cousin or the child of your third cousin.

Answer 5

The relationship between two individuals who are the offspring to first cousins are "second cousins". "Cousin once removed" is the relationship between a first cousin and the other first cousin's offspring.

Answer 6

A second cousin is your parent's cousin's kid. A first cousin once removed is your parent's cousin.

Answer 7

I can illustrate this using my own family. My grandmother and my second cousin's grandmother are sisters. Rose and Vicky. My grandmother had two children, one of which is my father. And Aunt Vicky had a daughter, Pauline who is the mother of my second cousin- Chris . Pauline and my father are cousins. To Pauline I am a cousin once removed for we are removed by one generation. Pauline's son, Chris, is my second cousin. We are of the same and second generation.
My children and Chris are second cousins once removed.
To Pauline, my children are first cousins twice removed- removed by two generations.
Further- my children and my second cousin- Chris' children are third cousins, and when we each have grandchildren they will be fourth cousins to each other.
And my grandchildren will be, to Pauline, my father's cousin- first cousins three times removed

Answer 8

A cousin once removed is removed by one generation- Your first cousin's child is your cousin once removed. The children of 1st cousins - same generation- are second cousins.
My first cousin has a daughter- Emma- She is my cousin once removed. , but my son and daughter, are second cousins to Emma
So, Clint has it right

and my illustration

Answer 9

As I understand it, it's like this:
2ND, 3RD, 4TH, COUSINS...
your second cousin is your father's cousin
your third cousin is your father's cousin's cousin (but not the cousin of your father)

ONCE , TWICE, THRICE REMOVED FIRST COUSINS...
your first cousin is your father's brother's child
your first cousin once removed is your father's brother's child's child (in other words, your first cousin's child)
your first cousin twice removed is your cousin's child's child

REMOVED SECOND COUSINS...
your second cousin once removed would be the child of your father's cousin

Does that make sense?
Bethany

Answer 10

I thought I knew, but I know how you like "sources" ...

Your first cousins are like your brothers and sisters under the same grandparents but not parents.

Your second cousins are like your brothers and sisters under the same great-grandparents, but not grandparents or parents.

"Removed" happens by generation, so your parents' cousins are your cousins, once removed (sort of like aunts and uncles under the same great-grandparents).

That's my simplification of the source.

Answer 11

My wife asks me this daily. Let me see if I can help.

Your parent's sibling's child is your first cousin.
Your first cousin's children are your first cousins, once removed.
Your children and your first cousin's children are second cousins.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/CousinTree.svg

I KNOW, it's an image from Wikipedia, but that's the only place I could find it!