22 January 2009

Mini Lesson on Family Relationships

Before I present Lesson #3, which I know I am way behind on, I want to give a little lesson on family relationships.

We have all heard the term "first cousin once removed," but do we all know what that means? Can we identify our first cousin once removed?

In this mini lesson I will try to explain this term and others to help you with your family research.

Terms:

Lineal relationship: this exists between people who are in the same line, such as you and your parents, your children, your grandchildren, grandparents

Collateral relationship: this exists between people who share a common ancestor, but are not in a direct line, such as you and your siblings, your cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncle.

1st cousin: term applied to your aunt's and uncle's children

2nd cousin: people with the same great-grandparents, but not the same grandparents

3rd cousins and so on: third cousins have the same great-great grandparents; 4th cousins have the same great-great-great grandparents.

Double cousins: a term you might hear; occurs when two brothers marry two sisters-their children would be double cousins to each other.

Removed: distant by degrees in relationship

Once removed: difference of one generation, your 1st cousin's child is your 1st cousin once removed

Twice removed: difference of two generations; your 1st cousin's grandchild is your first cousin twice removed

Paternal: pertaining to the father

Maternal: pertaining to the mother

Granduncle/aunt or great uncle/aunt: your mother's or father's uncle or aunt

Grandnephew/niece: your brother's or sister's grandchild

Affinity: relationship by marriage-not a blood relationship

Consanguinity: blood relationship, can be lineal consanguinity or collateral consanguinity

View the chart I found on Rootsweb.

Try to figure out who some of these people are in your family.

4 comments:

Rebecca Nelson said...

I'm checking out your BLOGS...this is my first one to visit!

I have to tell you the most interesting thing...(interesting to me anyway!).

I love learning things about my family and during my entire childhood I KNEW that I was related to Woody Guthie (he penned This Land is Your Land). After a little snooping in the massive family history my father has built, I discovered the connection... Woody Guthrie was my Grandmother's first cousin. Her mother was the sister to Woody Guthrie's father... Soooo now I know! : :) :)

Anyway, will go and visit your other BLOGS! LOVE THIS ONE. I promise to visit again soon. Great information. LOVE IT!

Warmly,

Rebecca

Sunday Girl said...

Thank you Rebecca, for stopping by. I'm glad you did.
Your story is very interesting--Woody Guthrie, wow. Discovering things like this is so much fun, that's one reason genealogy is so addicting.

MyGrandpasPen said...

Many of these terms I've never heard of before - great research!

XmasDolly said...

Most interesting blog. I haven't done much research on mine. Just a little, but I love collecting our family's pictures. I have one of my great grandmother, and the I also have the history when they arrived here in this country, and to think years ago all we had were libraries, and now all the information is at our fingertips.