EXPLAINING 'COUSINS' TO GRANDCHILDREN: HOW ARE WE ALL RELATED?

My family has a lot of history in its background.  My former wife was related to William Jennings Bryant, Nathaniel Hawthorn and the family goes even farther back into time as far back as the Pilgrims.  My family is equally as historic by going as far back as a Signer of the Declaration of Independence with Elbridge Gerry.

Having famous relatives is always good, but it is trying to do the research and understanding how people are related is another issue.  So, one fine day we were all sitting around the table talking about 'cousins' and who was 1st cousins,  2nd cousins and even 3rd cousins.  What was even more interesting, was how to explain how one gets all these different levels of relatives.

I am going to try and explain it for the lay person:

1.  Your 1st cousin is your parent's brother or sister's child.  We will call that person 'B'.

2.  So, You and B are 1st cousins.

3.  Your child is B's 1st cousin once removed.

4.  Your grandchild is B's 1st cousin twice removed.

5.  Your child and B's child are 2nd cousins.

6.  Your grandchild is B's child's second cousin once removed, ect.

7.  Your grandchildren and B's grandchildren are 3rd cousins.

So, that is it.  How 1st cousins and 3rd cousins are related.

Have a great day.

Steven Morris
smorris7912@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/recruiter.stevenmorris

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