What are they in relation to me?

Your mom’s cousin’s daughter is your second cousin (because you have the same great-grandparents). Same as the guy who hit on you—so long as you’re correct on his dad being your cousin once removed.

I think.

I feel grossed out. I was attracted to my secon cousin!! O.o

It is legal but ill advised to marry a second cousin in most countries. Attraction is a natural thing and she may have been a very special woman. Loving her would not be incest!

I’m not a lesbian! LOL I was talking about a GUY that happened to be my second cousin. >_< Awkward…I agree with him, what a waste. Haha..

A and B are first cousins.

The children of first cousins A and B are second cousins to each other.

The child of A is first cousin once removed of B. The child of B is first cousin once removed of A.

@Dr_Lawrence I read somewhere that it’s really a myth – that marrying cousins isn’t all that dangerous – statistically – no more so than regular marriages – with today’s tests.

In the older times… it was common to marry a second cousin or family relations of some degree

To keep the family wealth in the family.

so rich in family

@Jeruba is correct about the relationship title of second cousin to you for your mom’s sister’s daughter. And yes, her father is your cousin once removed (referring to the difference in generation).

If the guy you met is the nephew of Cousin Billy and shares the same last name, it means that he is the off-spring of Cousin Billy’s brother or his sister, if she didn’t change her last name when marrying or was a single parent. If this is the case, then he would also be a second cousin.

Of course, there are other possibilities, like adoptions that included name changes. I suspect that would have come up in your conversation though.

The idea of marrying within the family isn’t just about retaining wealth but assuming an honor to family ties that ensures the best efforts will be made to secure wealth, maintain care for shared family members, uphold social expectations by being accountable to relatives, having more minders for children to be bound to and sharing resources if you aren’t wealthy. Also, if the particular family is known for having a strong work ethic, family values or talent then that is looked after to preserve/extend.

@zen You are right. with professional genetic counselling where there is a positive history for genetically transmitted predisposition to disorders, the risk is low.

I don’t think marrying cousins is even illegal in the US. It’s more of a social taboo than legal or medical. I could be wrong, of course, but I seem to recall some jelly telling us that once.

I made out with a first cousin once removed once at a party. It doesn’t feel bad at all when I think of all the stories of brother-sister incest I see on the internet.

What I was told when taking biology in college is that the risk of birth defects for even first cousins having children is about that of a woman over 40 having a child. Pretty low, statistically speaking.

He’s your second cousin.

He probably said, “Sayang”.

If you’re not sure that you are related, and your basis is his last name, then you might not be second cousins. Especially since it is a common last name. I’ve known of people here in the Philippines who share the same last name but are of no relation to one another.

Yeah he said sayang. Haha and yes I think we are 2nd cousins. I’m not wanting to date him at all I just thought he was very handsome is all. He has a big crush on me and is in denial about us being related O.o

Soo found out he isn’t related to me haha