Ever wonder how exactly you’re related to that distant cousin you met at a family gathering once? Although you share a last name, the connection might seem a little fuzzy.
The phrase “once removed” just adds to the confusion. But, Understanding what it means reveals a whole new level of knowledge about your family history.
With some help, you may be able to trace your lineage with more ease. We’ll set you on the right track by explaining the meaning of “once removed” in genealogy and clarifying family relationships.
» Build a family tree that includes your cousins once removed
What are once removed relatives in genealogy?
The term “once removed” specifically delineates cousins from different generations. It clarifies relationships like “first cousin a generation younger/older.” When someone is your first cousin once removed, it means you are separated by one generation in the family tree. You share a grandparent, but one of you is one generation closer to that grandparent.
For example:
- Your first cousin’s child is your first cousin once removed (you are one generation apart)
- Your parent’s first cousin is your first cousin once removed (again, a one-generation difference)
Once removed, cousins are still close relatives, but they aren’t in your direct lineage of parents/grandparents. Drawing diagrams can help visualize these relationships. The key is recognizing that “once removed” indicates a single generation separating two relatives who share a grandparent/ancestor.
These relationships occur in everyone’s family tree, but they aren’t the first focus when developing it. This is because placing family members and their children in the right generations automatically places all your cousins in their proper place.
» Study a genealogical glossary
Understanding DNA: Generations vs. genetics
The difference between regular cousins and cousins “once removed” also relates to how much DNA they have in common. For example, your first cousin shares about 12.5%. Their child — your first cousin once removed — has only 6.25% of your genes with you since they’ve added another parent’s.
If someone is your second cousin once removed, their parent is your second cousin, and you share a great-grandparent. Sharing DNA confirms you are related, even if the amount is small. The higher the percentage, the closer the relationship.
Sometimes, a first cousin, once removed, may share more DNA with you than a distant direct ancestor due to genetic inheritance and dilution over generations. For genealogical research, examining closer generational connections (e.g., once removed) is more helpful than distant ancestors, as they hold more concentrated DNA from shared ancestors.
How to count generations using the G Rule
The ‘G’ Rule helps count generations in your family tree. Here’s how;
- There is one generation between you and your grandparents since ‘grandparent’ starts with G (one G = one generation).
- Great-grandparents have two G’s (great and grandparent) = two generations from you.
- Great-great-grandparents have three G’s = three generations, and so on.
This rule helps with cousin relationships. The number corresponds to how many generations there are between you and a shared relative. First cousins share grandparents (one G). On the other hand, third cousins share a great-great-grandparent (three G’s).
To start, pick any grandparent generation in your tree. Count the ‘G’s’ (generations) between them and you. But be careful. A 4th great-grandfather is actually five generations away from you since the rule also counts the G’s in “grandfather.”
If you want to determine a relationship with a cousin, find a shared ancestor. Calculate how you and the other person are related to them. That’s how you join the family pieces.
For example, if someone is the daughter of my granduncle, there is one G between us. He is from the same generation as my grandparents. So, his daughter is from the same generation as my parent, making them first cousins. I’m in the next generation, so she is my first cousin once removed.
» Note the generations in your family using the family tree timeline
Common misconceptions
Census records may confuse you when listing household names, as cousins and cousins ‘once removed’ can appear in the same generation. This can lead to misunderstandings about relationships as you advance.
Most mistakes, however, happen because people don’t apply the concept at all. People often misidentify a first cousin once removed as a second cousin, a second as a fourth, and so on. Since relationships like fourth cousins share twice as much DNA as second cousins across two more generations, simple mistakes can compound exponentially.
These lapses can also introduce date discrepancies of at least 20 years per generation. If you have such an age gap combined with identical names and birthplaces, it can become challenging to untangle the relationships accurately.
» Discover a way to check your family tree consistency
Visualizing a family tree
Family trees show the different generations in a family. A generation represents one lifetime, typically with 20-30 years between each. You and your parents are one apart, and they’re one away from theirs. All of you represent three generations.
Understanding family relationships can be relatively simple when considering immediate family members like parents, children, and siblings. But, it becomes more complex when you delve into more distant relatives like cousins and their families.
For example, you and your first cousins are in the same generation. Your cousins’ parents (your aunts/uncles) are in the same generation as your parents. And your grandparents and their siblings (your grand-aunts/uncles) are in the previous generation.”
The further back in time you go, the more complicated the concept becomes. While people live much longer than in the 1800s, the years when women typically have children have decreased due to birth control and societal changes. Today, it’s rare for a woman over 40 to have a child, but this was common for her ancestors. They also frequently had kids as teenagers.
Considering the wide range of childbearing ages in the past—with multiple generations living together—it could be hard to tell who a child’s parents were based on their ages alone.
» Learn more about printing family charts
Build a family tree to understand relations better
The family tree can help you understand how you’re related to someone. You’d start with the name of the most distant male ancestor and place it on the trunk. Then, you’d put the mother above and to the left of the trunk and the father to the right. Now, you have the first set of branches.
Next, you place the mother’s parents above and to the left, and the father’s are the same but on the right. Then, you can follow up with your grandparents. Each set of branches represents a generation.
Most basic family tree prints have this simple formation. But there are infinite ways to draw it. For example, you can put a spouse next to the man on the trunk so that each side filled out represents both families. Some genealogists even place the children together with their parents. Others draw a willow shape to illustrate siblings down one branch with children underneath, showing cousin relationships.
Keeping generations clear is essential. Early on in my research, I confused my 4th great-grand uncle’s probate records with those of my 5th great-grandfather. Their names and locations were the same. I got excited thinking I was adding in missing aunts and uncles when I was really adding in first cousins six times removed.
» Learn how to create a family tree
Beyond parents: Finding hidden connections
Understanding the term “once removed” in genealogy is key to accurately depicting relationships within your family tree. It simply signifies a one-generation difference between you and another relative. Your cousin’s child, for instance, is your first cousin once removed.
While you share the same grandparents, you belong to separate generations. Remember, “removed” functions similarly to “grand” or “great” but applies specifically to cousins. By grasping this concept, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the fascinating world of your family history.
» Understand once removed relationships by taking a DNA test
