My son in law has become very interested in genealogy. He's a hard worker, meticulous and knows the rules. When his mother died he looked around and discovered that he knew or knew of very few family members.
There are websites that give you much information on your family. Be careful. Not all of it is correct. This is where my sil gets to work. He likes to show that information he finds is correct so it has to coincide with other information. I am interested in genealogy but am not dedicated enough to do the research.
The sil put out a news letter and used the term second cousin and second cousin removed. I thought ah ha. I've heard these terms all my life but don't really know what they mean. What I did know is that there were many different definitions for "second cousin." People seemed to follow their own rules. The sil laughed and said that he got the labels off a genealogy site.
Then my daughter, who was siting beside him, got her phone out and had information on any kind of cousin you imagine. There are charts that help you go through the cousin maze.
Cousin definitions and labels go in two directions. There's vertical which goes by age and horizontal which shows the distance from a common grandparent.
I will go no further. You can get out of your depth in a hurry when it comes to labeling cousins.
Check the internet and you will easily find charts.
Another snag with cousins is that various cultures have different labels for cousins.
I think some of you will take the bait here and try and label cousins.
Have fun.
I have tried to understand the nature of the relationships in a family too. It’s not easy!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that there are too many home made rules.
DeleteMy husband Tom could tell you all about cousin classifications. He has been doing genealogy for years.
ReplyDeleteIt takes somebody who is a dedicated genealogist to use this system.
DeleteI have always found family search to be the most reliable and it's free to use, I've discovered quite an extension genealogy but yes the concept of 2nd and 3rd cousins is confusing.
ReplyDeleteI've used family search,.
DeleteAccording to my research, I have discovered that you are a distant cousin of mine Red! It's amazing! I trust you will remember me in your will.
ReplyDeleteJust give me a minute or two and I'll change my will .
DeleteI have a tea towel with the basic chart on it...it is a lifesaver!! Well done SiL
ReplyDeleteWell that is an interesting design for a tea towel.
DeleteI started to research my family history, I didn't get very far. First and second cousins are pretty easy to find. Take care, have a great day!
ReplyDeleteTo do family research requires a lot of hard work. Things have to be verified before they are of much value.
DeleteOh, yes, we have used some of those terms my whole life, Red, as my Dad was keen on labeling who was who in our larger family group - second cousins, second cousins once removed, third cousins, etc. I don't know if I can still keep track of them all but my sister is doing the family genealogy so she will sort it out for me!
ReplyDeleteYou Dad was very dedicated and qualified to identify the cousins.
DeleteGood for your son in law for doing things right. It is so depressing on certain sites where people have so much garbage in their family trees. I have almost exclusively gone to single family tree sites where one must provide evidence and anyone can correct it if something is put there in fantasy.
ReplyDeleteThe way I remember things are distance first. Your parent's siblings children are your first cousins. Your grandparents siblings grandkids are your second cousins, etc.
The "removed" term is only used with comparing one cousin to another and essentially is the same thing as great/grand when talking about ancestors. Any children one of your first cousins has will still be a first cousin but once removed. Any grandkids your cousin has will be your first cousin twice removed.
You've used these rules so that you understand them.
DeleteIt's too much for me -- the labels, I mean. I have done my basic genealogy, at least going back a few generations.
ReplyDeleteNow the real work starts for you to find the very old.
DeleteThe "remove" is just a generation thing...I am third cousin once removed to my dad's third cousin...I think!!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what the removed term means.
DeleteI remember one member of our extended family who we always called "Uncle", but then when I got interested in genealogy I learned that he was actually a cousin but I don't know to this day what kind he was. Guess I'll have to look up those charts.
ReplyDeleteSome generations were very skewed Our family was large. the oldest had their children early and the youngest got going late on starting a family.
DeleteHa! Re my previous comment, I find he is my first cousin once removed.
ReplyDeleteLB. We label them wrongly in our area and some people keep correcting everyone. Once or twice removed seems a little bit more difficult to understand.
DeleteI'm ashamed to say that I've been very lazy on the subject because my brother has a considerable interest and has done all the hard work carrying where my (and his) maternal grandmother's brother left off.
ReplyDeleteI refer to 1st cousins as "my cousin" and all others as "some kind of cousin"
ReplyDeleteIn other cultures, cousins are often referred to as siblings. And in Chinese there is a lot more definition in titles aunts and uncles are referred to as "mums third sister" or "dad's youngest brother".
When we think of the large families of the past, explaining relationships must have become very complicated very quickly
Things get fuzzy but if we're going to do a reliable genealogy we have to know these things.
DeleteI have a cousin from Texas who seems to know everything about genealogy, so I just stay quiet.
ReplyDeleteI like your comment and opinion. some people appoint themselves as experts.
DeleteMy cousin calls a child she babysits her grandniece. The child is the daughter of her nephew and niece. I think. However, I guess it's easier to call her grandniece than niece once removed all the time. I get so confused. In Hawaii everybody is an aunt or uncle even if you're related or not.
ReplyDeleteI never know what to call my 1st cousin's son's daughter. Hmmm.... I guess cousin twice removed? Ah well... this is Hawaii, they just call me Auntie anyway.
I have no idea who my second and third cousins are, and frankly, it makes little difference to me if we label them or not. Interesting topic, though.
ReplyDeleteAnd at least one of us won't.... (spoiler alert: it is me...)
ReplyDeleteMy husband is the one who does the genealogy search in our family. It's amazing the people he has turned up, going on 12,500 people in ours going back to the early 1500s. He checks facts over and over again but did make one mistake and was soon taken to task over it a couple of years ago. There is always someone out there who will put him on the right track. Fun that your son-in-law is enjoying his search. An old friend once said if you get started, it becomes addictive.
ReplyDeleteWow, you just gave me more than I’ve ever known about cousins. Thank you Red!
ReplyDeleteNope either I say they are my cousins or my parents cousins, I saw that cousin chart once and it just confused me:)
ReplyDeleteYour son in law is wise for sure. This is always cozy to learn that you have someone in family though not familiar.
ReplyDeleteI am sure our country has no such facility.
Peace health and happiness to you and loved ones