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Genealogy: Family Relationships

This guide is highlights the most important indexes, tools, and resources for those doing genealogical research and family history. Although the Library does not support Genealogy, we do collect many resources for researching family histories.

I need to understanding family relationships

YOU are a son/daughter of your parents. They are your father and mother.

You are a brother/sister (sibling) to the children of your parents.

You are an uncle/aunt to the children of your brothers/sisters. They are your nephews/nieces.

You are a granduncle/grandaunt to the children of your nephews/nieces. They are your grandnephews/grandnieces.

You are a grandson/granddaughter of your parents' parents. They are your grandparents (grandfather and grandmother).

You are a nephew/niece to the children of your grandparents. They are the brothers/sisters of your parents. They are your uncle/aunts.

You are a first cousin to the children of your uncles/aunts. First cousins share the same grandparents.

You are a great grandson/great-granddaughter of your grandparents' parents. They are your great-grandparents (great-grandfather and great-grandmother).

You are a grandnephew/grandniece to the children of your great-grandparents. They are the brothers/sisters of your grandparents. They are your granduncles/grandaunts.

You are a first cousin once removed [one generation removed] to the children of your granduncles/grandaunts. Your first cousins once removed are first cousins to your parents and nephews/nieces to your grandparents.

You are a second cousin to the children of the first cousins of your parents. Second cousins share the same great-grandparents.

You are a second cousin once removed to the children of your second cousin.

You are a third cousin to the children of the second cousins of your parents. Third cousins share the same great-great-grandparents.

YOUR children are the grandchildren of your parents.

Your children are the nephews/nieces of your brothers/sisters (siblings).

Your children are first cousins to the children of your siblings. They share the same grandparents.

Your children are first cousins once removed to the children of their first cousins.

Your children are second cousins to the children of your first cousins. They share the same great-grandparents.

Your children are second cousins once removed to the children of their second cousins.

Acknowledgement

(Text and resources taken from the print edition of: Jaccaud, Robert D, comp. Passages to Family History: A Guide to Genealogical Research in the Dartmouth College Library. Rev. ed. Hanover: Dartmouth College Library, 1994).