Once removed?

[browneyes]

We had a great debate about what it means to be once removed in relation to relatives. Like if someone says "She's my first aunt, once removed." Does this mean she's been divorced, but is still considered an aunt? Does this mean she's a great-aunt? If it was one of my aunts, once removed would mean a totally different thing.

 

[ScarlettO]

Think of it this way...when you are born you are "removed" from your Mother's womb. So your Mom has a first cousin-Ann. YOU are that lady's first cousin, once removed....get it?

Now YOUR child is "removed " from your womb so YOUR child is Ann's First cousin, twice removed.

Hope that's not too confusing.

 

[Serena]

Twice removed sounds so painful.

I always wondered about this too, thanks for the claification. Although now I'm wondering why they call it "removed"?

 

[ibouncetoo]

Think of 'once removed' as crossing generations. My cousins daughter is my first cousin, once removed. My daughter and my cousins daughter are second cousins. See....easy!

In my family we don't 'let go' of anybody. You divorce someone in our family, all you've lost is a spouse, you can't get rid of the rest of us! You remarry, your new spouse is part of the family. So we have lots of 'step, once removed' people! Guess we've been very lucky....no one has married an axe murderer or even a cranky person!

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by ScarlettO

Hope that's not too confusing.

I'm recovering from a migraine, I'm very confused today. I think I understand, but I'm thinking of Freudian theories from your explanation. I think what you're saying is a once removed cousin is what I call a first cousin.

 

[chager]

Try these pages to help you out.

http://www.genealogy.com/16_cousn.html?Welcome=1080652881

http://www.cousincouples.com/info/relation.shtml

http://www.genealogyspot.com/ask/cousinchart.htm


Have fun!!

 

[browneyes]

Thanks for the links, Carolyn. I think that bottom link with the chart makes the most sense. The 2nd chart had me thinking I was my own grandpa.

 

[nativetxn]

I still don't get it

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Once-removed is your relationship to your parent's relatives. Their (your parents) first cousin is your first cousin once removed.
Your parents' first cousins' children would be your second cousins, while they would be your children's second cousin once removed. Did I get that last part right? I confused myself. Why am I not in bed?

 

[Keli]

Yep, iNTeNSeBLue98, You got that right. Your second cousins will be your children's second cousin once removed.

I've found that when families are smaller it's easier to keep up with this stuff because the generations usually stick together age-wise. It's in the really large families (like my mom's, she has nine siblings) that it gets so confusing because you can have an aunt that is younger than you and her children are your first cousins but they are the same age as your children. You naturally want to put her children as the same generation as your children when in reality they are in your generation, not your childrens.

I have a set of first cousins like this and I cannot tell you the number of times I've messed up and called myself "Aunt Keli" when speaking to them when in reality I am their cousin, not their aunt.

 

[Melora]

I think I FINALLY get it!

When you use "removed" it is to help clarify cousins that are not the same generation with each other.

When starting with a common parent and working your way down through the line of siblings and their children (ie cousins), children in the same generation from the starting parent are first cousins, second cousins, third cousins to each other etc. You begin using "removed" when talking about cousins that are not in the same generation. The grandchild of the starting parent as related to the great grandchild of the same starting parent will be a cousin once removed and the further the genertions move away from each other, the more "removeds" you have.

Does that make sense?

 

[Keli]

Melora, you did get it right and I was glad when I finally 'got' it too. It took someone explaining it to me a couple of times before I finally understood the whole concept. Now I think I must be the only one in my family that does because they are always asking me about how different family members are related to us, lol.