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Appendix A:
Consanguinity, Determining Family Relationships

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If you've ever wondered what terms like "second cousin", "third cousin", and "fourth cousin once removed" means, I present here an explanation of Consanguinity. The word "Consanguinity" comes from "consanguine" which is a Latin word meaning "related by blood".

We are all quite familiar with parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunts (siblings of parents), and cousins (children of our uncles and aunts). What about second cousins and third cousins and beyond? Simply put, a second cousin is a child of our parents first cousins. If "first cousins" share the same grandparents, then "second Cousins" share the same great-grandparents. Likewise, "third Cousins" are children of our parents' second Cousins, and share the same Great-great grandparents.

Where things become confusing is when we are trying to understand what things like "once removed", and "twice removed" means. "Removed" simply means removed by a generation, so "once removed" is one generational difference, and "twice removed" is a difference of two generations. If your second cousin has a child, that child is your second cousin once removed. Your second cousin's grandchild would be your second cousin twice removed.

Sorry, but it gets a little more complicated still. The parent of your second cousin is no longer any kind of second cousin to you, but your first cousin once removed. Why? Because your parent and the parent of your second cousin are / were actually first cousins. Therefore you cannot be a second cousin to this person, but a first cousin through your parent. But since you are removed by one generation, you are a first cousin once removed.

If your:		Grandparent	Great Grandparent	Great Great Grandparent	Great Great Great Grandparent	Great Great Great Great Grandparent	Great Great Great Great Great Grandparent
...is your relative's:	Then they are:
Grandparent		First cousins	First cousins once removed	First cousins twice removed	First cousins thrice removed	First cousins four times removed	First cousins five times removed
Great grandparent		First cousins once removed	Second cousins	Second cousins once removed	Second cousins twice removed	Second cousins thrice removed	Second cousins four times removed
Great Great Grandparent		First cousins twice removed	Second cousins once removed	Third cousins	Third cousins once removed	Third cousins twice removed	Third cousins thrice removed
Great Great Great Grandparent		First cousins thrice removed	Second cousins twice removed	Third cousins once removed	Fourth cousins	Fourth cousins once removed	Fourth cousins twice removed
Great Great Great Great Grandparent		First cousins four times removed	Second cousins thrice removed	Third cousins twice removed	Fourth cousins once removed	Fifth cousins	Fifth cousins once removed
Great Great Great Great Great Grandparent		First cousins five times removed	Second cousins four times removed	Third cousins thrice removed	Fourth cousins twice removed	Fifth cousins once removed	Sixth cousins

 

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