How does the whole family title system work?

Question:I'm confused on who's who. For example, my mom's first cousin (their parents are siblings), would she be my second cousin? And then her children, would they be my third cousins? Also, what does it mean to be like a fourth cousin twice removed? What does the removed mean?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I'm confused on who's who. For example, my mom's first cousin (their parents are siblings), would she be my second cousin? And then her children, would they be my third cousins? Also, what does it mean to be like a fourth cousin twice removed? What does the removed mean?

Family relations all start with the common ancestor. Your mom's first cousin is her first cousin because they are both grandchildren of the same common ancestor. Your mom's first cousin is YOUR first cousin once removed because she is the grandchild, but you are the great-grandchild of the ancestor you have in common. In other words, you are one more generation removed from that common ancestor than she is. Your kids will be her first cousin 2x removed, because they will be 2 generations removed from the common ancestor they share with her.

Her kids are your 2nd cousins because you and those kids are in the exact same relationship distance to the common ancestor, meaning you are both great-grandchildren of the common ancestor. When they have kids, those kids will be 2nd cousins once removed to you, and will 3rd cousins to your own kids.

Use the chart at the website below and insert names in the left column and top row as they apply to the common ancestor. Then where the two intersect is the relationship of those 2 people are to each other.

First cousins share a grandparent, First cousins once removed are the children of your first cousins (hence once removed.

Second cousins share a Great Grandparent and a second cousin once removed would be there child, etc, etc.