Have you ever wondered if your cousin’s cousin is related to you? Maybe you have met them at a family gathering and felt a connection, or maybe you are just curious about how the family tree works. Either way, this article will help you understand the different types of cousins and how they are related to you.
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What is a Cousin?
A cousin is someone who shares a common ancestor with you that is at least two generations away, such as a grandparent or a great-grandparent. For example, if you and your cousin have the same grandparents, you are first cousins. If you and your cousin have the same great-grandparents, you are second cousins. And so on.
The degree of cousinhood is based on the number of generations between you and your common ancestor. The more generations there are, the more distant the cousin relationship is.
What is a Cousin’s Cousin?
A cousin’s cousin is someone who is also a cousin of your cousin. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are related to you by blood. There are two possible scenarios:
- Your cousin’s cousin is also your cousin. This happens when you and your cousin share the same set of grandparents or great-grandparents (or any other common ancestor), and your cousin’s cousin is also descended from that same ancestor. For example, if your mother and your aunt are sisters, and your aunt has a child (your cousin) and your mother has another child (your sibling), then your sibling is also your cousin’s cousin. But they are also your first cousin, because you share the same grandparents.
- Your cousin’s cousin is not related to you by blood. This happens when your cousin’s cousin is related to your cousin through another parent or spouse who is not related to you. For example, if your father and your uncle are brothers, and your uncle has a child (your cousin) and marries someone who has another child (your cousin’s step-sibling), then your cousin’s step-sibling is also your cousin’s cousin. But they are not related to you by blood, because they do not share any common ancestor with you.
How to Determine Your Relationship with Your Cousin’s Cousin?
To figure out if your cousin’s cousin is related to you by blood, you need to trace back your family tree and find out how they are related to your cousin. Here are some steps to follow:
- Identify who is your common ancestor with your cousin. This could be a grandparent, a great-grandparent, or any other ancestor that you both descend from.
- Identify who is the parent or spouse of your cousin that is not related to you. This could be an aunt, an uncle, a step-parent, or any other relative that married into the family.
- Identify who is the child of that parent or spouse that is also a cousin of your cousin. This could be a half-sibling, a step-sibling, or any other relative that shares one parent or spouse with your cousin.
- Compare the relationship between you and your common ancestor with the relationship between your cousin’s cousin and their common ancestor. If they are the same, then you are also cousins. If they are different, then you are not related by blood.
For example, let’s say that you and your first cousin share the same grandparents. Your first cousin has a half-sibling who is also their first cousin through their father (who is not related to you). To determine if their half-sibling is also related to you by blood, you need to compare the relationship between you and your grandparents with the relationship between their half-sibling and their grandparents. Since they are both first cousins of their grandparents, they are also first cousins of each other. Therefore, their half-sibling is also your first cousin.
However, let’s say that you and your second cousin share the same great-grandparents. Your second cousin has a step-sibling who is also their second cousin through their mother (who is not related to you). To determine if their step-sibling is also related to you by blood, you need to compare the relationship between you and your great-grandparents with the relationship between their step-sibling and their great-grandparents. Since they are both second cousins of their great-grandparents, they are also second cousins of each other. Therefore, their step-sibling is not related to you by blood.
Conclusion
To sum up, a cousin’s cousin can be either related or unrelated to you by blood, depending on how they are related to your cousin. If they share a common ancestor with you and your cousin, then they are also your cousin. If they do not share any common ancestor with you, then they are not related to you by blood.
According to Genealogy Explained, some people call a cousin’s cousin a distant cousin rather than a cousin-in-law. The main thing to remember is that these cousins can be relatives, but if they are not part of your family tree via blood, then it is easier to refer to them as “in-law.”
We hope this article has helped you understand the different types of cousins and how they are related to you. If you want to learn more about your family history and discover your ancestors, you can use online tools like FamilySearch or Readership to create your family tree and explore your genealogy. Happy researching!
