When is a cousin 'removed'?
By SAdave1
@SAdave1 (103)
South Africa
December 20, 2008 3:27am CST
Something that has always eluded me (nice way of saying I just don't know :), is what it means if a person is a 'cousin once removed' or 'twice removed' for that matter.
What is the difference between this and a second cousin? As families grow, things get more and more complicated, I just call them all cousins at the moment!
Please, someone out there, educate me!!
2 people like this
1 response
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
20 Dec 08
The 'removed' means 'a generation distant'
First cousins are the children of my parents' siblings.
My father's cousins are my first cousins once removed. My grandfather's cousins would be my first cousins twice removed.
The children of my father's cousins are my second cousins (because they are at the same generation as me).
Cousins share grandparents, second cousins share great grandparents.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
20 Dec 08
Thanks for your explanation.
When I was reading the discussion, I have totally no idea what removed cousin means, it sounds so weird. I didn't know there's such term called removed cousin. 
