Updated
09-14-07
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Have you ever wondered just what it means: third cousin, once removed? If so, then join the crowd! In this article, Susan Slape-Hoysagk explains distant family relationships in simple terms, demonstrates how to calculate them, and supplies helpful charts. Susan is editor of The Chestnut Tree, official publication of the Pierre Chastain Family Association. This article first appeared in The Chestnut Tree, and is reprinted here by permission of Susan Slape-Hoysagk.Third Cousins, Once Removed
Another Chart That May Be Helpful
Applied Examples
Member Becca Parks asks for an explanation for the very confusing term "once removed." First of all let us visit briefly the term cousin. In present day, cousin refers to any blood relation related by diverging descent from a common ancestor. This was not so in earlier times where a cousin may have meant a cousin as we view the relationship, or merely a close relative, or even just a close friend. Most of us understand that the children of our aunts and uncles are our cousins. But the connections run oh so much deeper and complicated as anyone who has ever experienced genealogy can easily relate. This article discusses our present definition of cousin.
When asking about the example of "third cousin, once removed" the answer actually consists of two parts. First, the third cousin refers to the number of generations one is from the common ancestor (minus one, as people with the same parents are not considered cousins). This is how far back the connection is, so third cousin means that the two people share the same great-great grandparents. Likewise, second cousins have the same great-grandparents but NOT the same grandparents, Fourths the same great-great-great grandparents, and so on.
The second part of once removed is a generational statement in that it describes how many generations your cousin is from you. Once removed equals one generation. To clarify, once removed means that your cousin is one generation from you, for example, the age of your parents. This also means that if you and your cousin are of the same generation, removed is not used. Another example - my mother's first cousin is my first cousin, once removed. I hope this helps!
| Common Ancestor | Child | Grandchild | G-grandchild | G-g-grandchild |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child | Sister or Brother | Nephew or Niece | Grand-nephew or niece | G-grand-nephew or niece |
| Grandchild | Nephew or Niece | First cousin | First cousin, once removed | First cousin, twice removed |
| G-grandchild | Grand-nephew or niece | First cousin, once removed | Second cousin | Second cousin, once removed |
| G-g-grandchild | Great-grand-nephew or niece | First cousin, twice removed | Second cousin, once removed | Third cousin |
| If your ? Is the other person's ? |
Grandparent | Great grandparent | Great great grandparent | Great great great grandparent | Great great great great grandparent | Great great great great great grandparent |
| 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 |
These examples are supplied by Chastain Central. Using Susan's explanation and charts, let's calculate an actual example. Susan is descended from Elijah Chastain, son of Rev. John Chastain, and so are the Brothers of Chastain Central.
Susan's lineage is 1. Elijah Chastain 2. James Lafayette Chastain 3. Mary M. Chastain 4. Margaret Elizabeth Owenby 5. Elma Ora Bruce 6. Lloyd Slape 7. Susan Slape. Our lineage is 1. Elijah Chastain 2. Edward Chastain 3. William Howell Chastain 4. Silas Chastain 5. Robert Earl Chastain 6. The Brothers of Chastain Central.
Susan is seventh generation from our common ancestor, Elijah, but we are sixth generation. Therefore Elijah is her great-great-great-great grandfather and our great-great-great grandfather. Using the chart we discover that we are fourth cousins, once removed. Without using the chart, we can simply count back to Elijah using the shortest line, which is the Brothers of Chastain Central. Those sharing Silas as grandfather are our first cousins; of William Howell, second cousins; of Edward, third cousins; and of Elijah, fourth cousins. However, since Susan is an additional generation away from Elijah, we are once removed: so fourth cousins, once removed.