Does anyone actually understand the whole 2nd, 3rd etc. cousin thing?

Welcome to Asia, once you’ve asked that question.

Your parents’ cousins are just some other aunts or uncles. Their kids are your cousins. That’s just a way to see it for easier communicating.

@Mimishu1995 I am still confused…

Your parents cousins are your 2nd cousins, once removed, technically.
The 2nd refers to a common ancestor (here, a great grand parent), and the removal shows a generational shift.

Not I.

Here is a chart that should help out.

@filmfann I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. I always thought my parents cousins are my second cousins, and their children are my second cousins once removed. It’s so confusing. Lol.

Cousins, once removed, never forgotten remembered.

Your parents’ first cousins are your first cousins once removed; their children are your second cousins. Your parents’ second cousins are your second cousins once removed.

I just looked at @Pied_Pfeffer link and it looks like both @janbb and @filmfann are wrong the way I read it, but maybe the link is incorrect or maybe I am interpreting the chart wrong? It’s always been confusing to me too. Even now after looking at that chart, ten minutes from now I couldn’t fill in the boxes again myself if I was tested, except for the ones that agreed with what I have always thought, which is only 1st cousins, 2nd cousins, and 2nd cousins once removed. The rest is Greek to me.

@janbb and @filmfann Did you get a chance to look at the link? Does it agree with what you said and I am understanding it incorrectly? I always have trouble with reading those types of charts.

If the chart is confusing, maybe this will help.

If someone is your first cousin, then his or her child is your first cousin once removed. (Once removed means one generation level different from you.) All your regular cousins (first, second, etc.) are at the same generation level as yourself. Those at different levels are “removed.” If someone is YOUR first cousin once removed, then you are HIS or HER first cousin once removed also. Your second cousin once removed is the child of your second cousin. Your first cousin twice removed is the child of your first cousin once removed (i.e. the grandchild of your first cousin). Your second cousin twice removed is the child of your second cousin once removed (i.e. the grandchild of your second cousin).

REMOVED COUSINS: If two people are some type of cousins, but they are at different generation levels, then here is the way to compute their relationship. Count how many generation levels they are apart. This is the number they are “removed.”

Start with the one at the highest generation level (the older level) and count how many generations up you must go to find the brothers or sisters that are the ancestors of these cousins. This is the “FIRST” or “SECOND” or “THIRD” part of the cousin relationship.

Source: Ancestery

@IheartMypuppy and @filmfann Your parents’ cousins are your 1st cousins once removed. Their children are your 2nd cousins.

@Mimishu1995 That’s interesting. Maybe the labels are different in Asia. I just assumed that they are the same everywhere.

@JLeslie Yeah, it really confusing, because people tend to think that their parents’ cousins would be their second cousins.

Here’s how I look at it so that it makes sense.
* Your cousins = 1st cousins
* Your parents’ cousins = 1st cousins once removed (since it’s a different generation)
* Your grandparents’ cousins = 1st cousins twice removed (since it’s 2 different generations)
...and so on.

@janbb‘s statement is correct.

I definitely had it wrong then. I need to reread that a few times to get it in my head permanently.

Hopefully, permanently. I have my doubts it will stick.

If it’s any consolation, I’d fail the test, too. It’s like trying to do calculus by counting on your fingers.

I agree with Mimishu.
But I remember in Modern Family Haley, Alex and Luke call mitchell Uncle Mitch right?

@wsxwh111 Mitchell is the uncle of Haley, Alex and Luke. Their mother (Claire) is the sister of Mitchell. Claire’s three children are the cousins of Lily (Mitchell’s child), thus making Claire Lily’s aunt.

Eh, to me, my first cousins are cousins. Everyone else who vaguely seems related and sorta near my age is a 2nd cousin. If they are a generation older they are an aunt or uncle pretty much. So the answer is no, I still don’t get it.

So the son of my maternal grandmother’s oldest brother would be my 1st cousin once removed? And while we are at it, would my grandmother’s two older brothers be my uncles or my grand uncles?

@sahID Yes, your grandmother’s brother’s son would be your 1st cousin once removed. Your grandmother’s brothers are your great uncles.

@Pied pfeffer Oh got it

Ahh, thank you, @Pied_Pfeffer. Finally, I get it.