How to Understand Relationships in Your Family Tree (Genealogy)

Last Updated: January 24, 2022

If someone at your family reunion says they are your "third cousin once removed," how are you related? When it comes to genealogy, a family tree can tell you everything you need to know about how you’re linked to the other members of your family. If you want to improve your understanding of your family line and ancestry, we’ll help you understand relationship charts and family trees.

Steps

1
Choose an ancestor that the two individuals have in common.
2
Determine the simple relationship between the ancestor and the first family member.
- Such as child, grandchild, great grandchild, great great grandchild.
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3
Determine the simple relationship between the ancestor and the second family member.
- Again, it may be child, grandchild, great grandchild, great great grandchild.
4
Cross reference those simple relationships from the table below.

GENEALOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS
Common Ancestor	Child	Grandchild	Great Grandchild	Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Great Grandchild
Child	Sibling	Niece or Nephew	Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Grand Niece or Nephew	Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew
Grandchild	Niece or Nephew	First Cousin	First Cousin Once Removed	First Cousin Twice Removed	First Cousin Three Times Removed
Great Grandchild	Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin	Second Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed
Great Great Grandchild	Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Twice Removed	Second Cousin Once Removed	Third Cousin	Third Cousin Once Removed
Great Great Great Grandchild	Great Great Grand Niece or Nephew	First Cousin Three Times Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed	Third Cousin Once Removed	Fourth Cousin

Community Q&A

Question

I'm the uncle to her, what will be her children to me?

Community Answer

They would be your nieces and nephews once removed. The same thing would apply to cousins. Your cousins' children are your cousins once removed. Your children and your cousins' would be second cousins.
Question

What is the type of relationship between my mother and her sister's children?

Community Answer

Your mother would be the children's aunt, and the children would be your mother's nieces and nephews.
Question

What would be the relation between me and the boy who is my mother's cousin's son?

Mark Goerge

Community Answer

Second cousin. Your mother and her cousin's children are second cousins. The answer to the above answered question 'What is the relation between me and my first cousin's child?' was incorrectly answered as second cousins. It is indeed first cousin once removed.