If you are anything like me, you become confused by all the different terms for cousins. First, second, third, once removed, twice removed, three times removed. What does it all mean? This article answers that question.
First cousins share grandparents, second cousins share great-grandparents, and third cousins share great-great grandparents, and fourth cousins share great-great-great grandparents. If a cousin is once removed, they are one generation above or below you. For instance, your grandparent is their great-grandparent.
To calculate the relationship between cousins in a family tree, you first need to determine the direct ancestor you both have in common. Once you have determined your common ancestor, you can use a relationship calculator to work out your relationship.
How To Use a Relationship Calculator
The Family Tree Relationship Calculator can tell you the relationship between two people who share a common ancestor.
The way to use the chart is to find the common ancestor you and your relative share across the top and down the left hand side of the chart. Where those two lines intersect is how you can determine the relationship.
For example, if you wish to find out your relationship to someone who shares your relationship with your grandmother, you would look across the top, and then down the side. You then move across the table until these two lines intersect with one another. This will tell you that you are cousins.
You and your first cousin share the same grandparent. My Mum’s (Joan Richardson) grandparent is Alice Dean Naylor, and her first cousin is Margaret Cameron because she is also the granddaughter of Alice.
If you find that your grandmother is your relation’s great-grandmother, you would still move across the table in the same way, but you would use the great-grandmother line down the side of the chart. This would tell you that you are the first cousin once removed of your relative. If your cousin is once removed, this means that your relation is either one generation above or below you in your family.
My Mum’s grandparent is Alice Dean Naylor, and her first cousin once removed is Michael Franklin because he is the great grandson of Alice.
If you and your relative are first cousins twice removed, this means that your relative is one generation above or below you in your family. Your relative could be either your first cousin’s grandchild, grandparent, or the first cousin of your grandparent.
Therefore, first cousin’s twice removed are blood related to you because your first cousin is the same generation as you, your first cousin once removed would be one generation below you, and their child would, in turn, be your first cousin twice removed because they are two generations below you.
My Mum’s grandparent is Alice Dean Naylor, and her first cousin twice removed is Emma Franklin because she is the great-great granddaughter of Alice.
Calculating Family Relationships Manually
If you wish to know your relationship to your relative, and you know that you both share the same great-grandparents, for example, you can calculate the number of greats in your common ancestor and then add 1.
In the example above, you and your relative are second cousins because there is 1 great in the title. 1+1 = 2 so you are second cousins.
If you are trying to work out your precise relationship with your cousin if you are not of the same generation, you can calculate how many greats are in your common ancestor’s title and then add 1. If it is your great-grandparent, this figure would be 2 (1+1 = 2). This means that your relative is your second cousin.
If your great-grandparent is the grandparent of your relative, you are 3 generations apart from your common ancestor, and your cousin is 2 generations apart from your common ancestor. 3-2 = 1, so therefore, you and your relative are second cousins once removed.
If your relative is two generations apart from you, you can still calculate your relationship. You calculate how many greats are in your common ancestor’s title and then add 1. If it is your great-grandparent, this figure would be 2 (1+1 = 2). This means that your relative is your second cousin.
If your great-grandparent is the parent of your relative, you are 3 generations apart from your common ancestor, and your cousin is 1 generation apart from your common ancestor. 3-1 = 2, so therefore, you and your relative are second cousins twice removed.
The Different Cousin Relationships
What are first cousins?
First cousins share the same grandparents.
What are first cousins once removed?
Your relative can be your first cousin once removed if they are one generation away from you. Your grandparents are their great-grandparents. A first cousin once removed can either be your parents’ first cousin or the child of your first cousin.
What are first cousins twice removed?
Your relative is your first cousin twice removed if they are two generations away from you. Your grandparents are their great-great-grandparents. A first cousin twice removed can be the grandchild of your first cousin or the first cousin of your grandparents.
What are second cousins?
Second cousins share the same great-grandparents. Second cousins are related to you because you share a common ancestor. Your parents’ first cousins children are your second cousins.
What are second cousins once removed?
If you and your relation are second cousins once removed, this is because they are one generation away from you. For instance your great-grandparents are their great-great-grandparents.
What is a second cousin twice removed?
A second cousin twice removed would be two generations away from you. Your great-grandparents are their 3x great-grandparents.
Is a second cousin the child of a first cousin?
Second cousins are the children of first cousins because they share great-grandparents.
What are third cousins?
Third cousins share the same great-great grandparents as you. Third cousins are related to you because you share common ancestors. Your parents’ second cousins children are your third cousins.
What are third cousins once removed?
If you and your relation are third cousins once removed, it is because they are one generation away from you. For instance, your great-great grandparents are their 3x great grandparents.
What are third cousins twice removed?
A third cousin twice removed would be two generations away from you. Your great-great grandparents are their 4x great-grandparents.
What are third cousins three times removed?
A third cousin three times removed would be three generations above or below you. Your great-great grandparents would be their 5x great grandparents.
What is a fourth cousin?
A fourth cousin shares 3x great grandparents with you so you are blood related.
What is a fourth cousin once removed?
If you and your relation are fourth cousins once removed, it is because they are one generation away from you. For instance, your 3x great grandparents are their 4x great grandparents.
What are fourth cousins twice removed?
A fourth cousin twice removed would be two generations away from you. Your 3x great grandparents are their 5x great grandparents.
What is a fifth cousin?
Your fifth cousin is related to you because you share 4x great grandparents. Obviously, the further back you go, the more distant your relationship becomes.
What is a fifth cousin once removed?
If you and your relation are fifth cousins once removed, it is because they are one generation away from you. For instance, your 4x great grandparents are their 5x great-grandparents.
What are fifth cousins twice removed?
A fifth cousin twice removed would be two generations away from you. Your 4x great grandparents are their 6x great grandparents.
What is a sixth cousin?
Your sixth cousin shares the same 5x great grandparents as you. Your relationship with your sixth cousin is very distant.
What is a sixth cousin once removed?
If you and your relation are sixth cousins once removed, it is because they are one generation away from you. For instance, your 5x great grandparents are their 6x great-grandparents.
What are sixth cousins twice removed?
A sixth cousin twice removed would be two generations away from you. Your 5x great grandparents are their 7x great-grandparents.
What is a seventh cousin?
Your seventh cousin is related to you because you share 6x great grandparents. Your relationship with your seventh cousin is very distant for the reason that the relationship gap between you and your 6x great grandparents is large.
Although you and your seventh cousin share the same 6x great grandparents, your 5x great grandparents and your seventh cousin’s 5x great grandparents were siblings. Siblings are brothers and sisters.
The expression first, second, third, fourth and so on expresses the number of generations between your cousins parents and your nearest common ancestor.
As you can see, cousins are definitely related to each other because they all share common ancestors or a common ancestor.
What are double cousins?
Double first cousins occur when two siblings marry two siblings and have children. These children are related to each other through both of their parents’ families. Double first cousins are both related to both sets of grandparents.
Terms you may come across
| Paternal Cousin | A cousin on your father’s side |
| Maternal Cousin | A cousin on your mother’s side |
| Double cousins | Double first cousins share both sets of grandparents |
| First Cousins | Share a grandparent |
| First Cousins Once Removed | One generation above or below you. Your GGM is their GM. |
| First Cousins Twice Removed | Two generations above or below you. Your GGM is their parent. |
| Second Cousins | Share great grandparents |
| Third Cousins | Share great-great grandparents |
| Fourth Cousins | Share 3x great grandparents |
| Fifth Cousins | Share 4x great-grandparents |
| Sixth Cousins | Share 5x great-grandparents |
| Seventh Cousins | Share 6x great-grandparents |
| Half-First Cousin | Share a grandparent |
| Half-Second Cousin | Share a great-grandparent |
| Half-Third Cousin | Share a great-great grandparent |
| Half-Fourth Cousin | Share a 3x great grandparent |
| Siblings | Brothers and sisters |
| Double First Cousins | Related on both sides. Share both sets of grandparents |
What is a half-first cousin?
If you and your cousin share only one grandparent, rather than two grandparents, you are half cousins. If, for example, your grandmother married twice and had children from both marriages, any grandchildren from this second marriage are your half cousins. Illegitimacy can also have a bearing on this.
If your grandparent had an illegitimate child, and then went on to have children with another partner, and had grandchildren as a result of this relationship, any of these children would be your half-first cousins. This can also occur if there was a case of infidelity in the family.
What is a half-second cousin?
Second cousins share the same great-grandparents. If your relative is your half-second cousin, this means that you and your relative share a single great-grandparent rather than both. This situation arises if your great-grandparent remarried and had a child with the second spouse.
My great-grandmother Elizabeth Hill had a relationship with my great-grandfather William George Baker for years although they never actually married. The relationship fell apart and she went on to marry his brother Charles Carrington Baker. She had no children with Charles, but if she had had great-grandchildren through this marriage, they would have been my half-second cousins.
What is a half-third cousin?
A half-third cousin shares one great-great-grandparent with you. If they were your full third cousin, they would share two great-great-grandparents with you.
What is a half-fourth cousin?
A half-fourth cousin shares one great-great-great grandparent with you. If they were your full fourth cousin, they would share two great-great-great grandparents with you.
Are half siblings the same as cousins?
If your parents married twice, and had children from each relationship, the children from the other relationship your parent may have had would be your half-siblings. They are not the same as cousins because you share one parent rather than a grandparent.
Are half-siblings more related than first cousins?
Half-siblings are more related than first cousins because you share a parent. Your cousin shares grandparents with you, so the relationship is slightly more distant. Having a cousin does not mean you have a direct relationship with each other. The relationship you have with your cousin is even more distant should you only share one grandparent.
What is a step-sister?
If your parent marries more than once, and their spouse already has a daughter from any previous relationship, they would be your step-sister. A step-sister is not blood related to you because they are the child of your parent’s spouse. A step-sister, however, is considered to be one of your immediate family.
What is the difference between a step-sister and half-sister?
A step-sister, as described above, is the daughter of your parent’s spouse, and is not related to you. A half-sister, however, is the offspring of your parent and their spouse’s marriage, and is therefore related to you because you share a parent.
A half-sister is considered to be a biological sister because you share a parent. A half-sister who shares the same mother as you is known as a maternal half-sibling or uterine sibling. If she shares the same father as you, she is known as a paternal half-sibling or an agnate sibling.
What is the difference between a step-brother and a half-brother?
If one of your parents has been married more than once and their spouse has a son from any previous relationship, he would be your step-brother. If your parent and their spouse go on to have a son, he would be your half-brother because you share a parent.
A half-brother is considered to be a biological brother because you share a parent. A half-brother who shares the same mother as you is known as a maternal half-sibling or uterine sibling. If he shares the same father as you, he is known as a paternal half-sibling or an agnate sibling.
It is up to you whether you wish to include any step-brothers and stepsisters you may have in your family tree.
What is Your Half Sister’s Mum to You?
Because a half-sibling shares one parent, such as a Mum or Dad, your half-sister’s Mum could be your own mother, or is not related to you because you share the same father, not mother.
What Is Your Half Brother’s Dad to You?
Your half-brother’s father could be your own father, or he may not be related to you because you share the same mother, not father.
Can step siblings marry?
Step siblings are legally permitted to marry because they are not blood related.
If your parent does not ever marry their partner, they do not ever become a step parent because you only legally become a step parent if you marry the biological parent of the child.
Can you marry your first cousin once removed?
It is legal in the UK to marry your first cousin once removed, but should you have children, the chance of them having some kind of genetic problem is higher, but it is not prohibitive. The chance of having a child with a birth defect is approximately 1 in 33 for people who are not related, but this increases to 1 in 17 if first cousins once removed have children.
If a genetic problem already exists in your family, this obviously increases the risk of you having a child with a birth defect.
In the United States, you are only permitted to marry first cousins in half of the American states, although second cousins are permitted to marry in every state.
Can you marry your fourth cousin?
You are permitted to marry your fourth cousin because although you are blood related, the relationship between fourth cousins is distant enough that you are risking a child having a birth defect.
Can you marry your fifth cousin?
Although marrying your first cousin is legal but not recommended, a marriage between fifth cousins is fine because you are only very distantly related to each other so there is much less chance of a child having a birth defect.
Can you legally marry your sibling?
Siblings are not permitted to marry in the UK. Siblings are classed as being a brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister. A mother and son is not permitted to marry, and nor is a father and daughter.
Siblings are not allowed to marry in the United States.
Can a sister marry her brother-in-law?
There is no reason why a sister should not be able to marry her brother-in-law. I have found two sisters marrying two brothers, or a brother and sister marrying a brother and sister numerous times whilst researching my family tree. You are not blood related to your brother-in-law – you are only connected by marriage.
I hope this article has answered your questions regarding the relationship between cousins and how they fit into the family tree alongside brothers and sisters, step siblings, and half siblings.
FAQs
How does the family tree work with cousins? ›
First cousins share a grandparent (2 generations) Second cousins share a great-grandparent (3 generations) Third cousins share a great-great-grandparent(4 generations) Fourth cousins share a 3rd-great grandparent (5 generations)
How do family trees work? ›A family tree is a visual representation of a person's lineage, tracing relationships to common ancestors. Visually similar to an org chart, this diagram is usually presented in a tree structure starting with one individual as the root. From the root, lines representing branches terminate in boxes representing leaves.
How do cousins and first cousins work? ›Cousins. First cousins are the children of (their parent's) siblings. They share a set of grandparents. First cousins are the same generation as each other.
How would you use the family tree to make children aware of relationships? ›By telling them stories featuring their ancestors, they'll feel a pride and a fascination towards this family affiliation. In many cases, this will result in them wanting to learn more. To make things clear, we suggest starting with people they already know, like their grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts.
Are trees our cousins? ›We share many of the same genes that trees depend on, not only to keep their line going, but to determine their shape and development. Trees and we ... are distant cousins. At the core of a tree's life is a process which mirrors a process central to every human life.
Where does a second cousin fall in a family tree? ›Your second cousins are the children of your parents' first cousins. Take a look at your family tree, and you'll see that you and your second cousins have the same great-grandparents. You typically share 3.125 percent of your second cousin's DNA.
Who comes first in a family tree? ›The top level of the family tree is the first generation, followed by their children (second generation) and so on, assigning each successive generation a higher number - third, fourth, fifth. To describe someone from a generation that came before that of your grandparents, simply add the word 'great' to their title.
Who goes first on a family tree? ›The different types of family tree diagrams
There are two people at the top (the parents), followed by all their children and grandchildren. Sandglass diagram: This shows a person's ancestors and descendants. Typically, the individual is at the center with the ancestors on top and descendants below.
- 1 - Write down what you know already. ...
- 2 - Track down the family archive. ...
- 3 - Make a plan. ...
- 4 - Contact family members. ...
- 5 - Collaborate with others. ...
- 6 - Get organised!
Are 7th cousins blood-related? Do you share DNA with seventh cousins? You will share DNA, or genetic material, with some of your seventh cousins, but not all of them. Because of the way that DNA is passed down through the generations, we do not share DNA with all of our relatives.
How does the first cousin thing work? ›
First cousin - You and this person share a common grandparent. Second cousins - You and this person share a common great-grandparent. Third cousin - You and this person share a common great-great-grandparent (the grandparent of a grandparent).
Are 3rd cousins considered family? ›Third cousins are always considered to be relatives from a genealogical perspective, and there is about a 90% chance that third cousins will share DNA.
What order does a family tree go in? ›Family trees are often presented with the oldest generations at the top of the tree and the younger generations at the bottom. An ancestry chart, which is a tree showing the ancestors of an individual and not all members of a family, will more closely resemble a tree in shape, being wider at the top than at the bottom.
Why making a family tree is important? ›Tracing family roots back through generations can help a person connect more deeply with a sense of self by learning about their family's past—where they came from, who they were, what they did, the trials they overcame, the accomplishments they achieved, the dreams they had.
What is the important use of family tree? ›The overall purpose of Family Tree is to help you discover your family and, in turn, discover a bit about yourself.
How are humans connected to trees? ›Trees and people have an interdependent relationship. One example is we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Trees, on the other hand, take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere. The role trees play in the ecosystem is vital for human and other life on earth.
How related are trees to each other? ›But as similar as their characteristics are, trees aren't all related to each other. They're just a habit, or a form that a plant can take. You can find trees all over the evolutionary map.
Do trees support each other? ›Mother Trees Support Their offspring
For young saplings in a fully shaded area of forest, for example, this network is literally a lifeline as bigger trees (often Mother Trees) pump sugar, water and other lifesaving resources like carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus into their roots.
When cousins are not in the same generation, then we refer to them as 'removed'. For example, 'first cousins once removed' declares that either one of you is one generation away from being first cousins. If your first cousin has children, they are your first cousins once removed.
Are 5th cousins blood-related? ›Are Fifth Cousins Blood-Related? Fifth cousins are related, but there is a chance they do not share DNA. In fact, there is only a 10-15% chance of sharing genetics with any fifth cousin. Even if you and our fifth cousin are related by blood, the DNA shared will be small, especially when compared to closer cousins.
Who counts in a family tree? ›
To start, you and your siblings and cousins make one generation, and your parents and their siblings from the next. Your grandparents and their siblings form the third generation, and so on. The top-level of any family tree is the first generation, next down is their children, making up the second generation.
How many years is 3 generations? ›We generally figure three or four generations to every 100 years — in rare instances only two, in others five. The average span from one generation to the next is about 25 to 30 years.
Who is the root of a family tree? ›If children really are the base of the tree, stretching their growing arms toward the sky, then we – their parents, and then their grandparents, their great-grandparents, and so forth – are the roots of the tree.
Which side does the mother go on a family tree? ›Your parents' names should be on the line above you, and their brothers and sisters if you know them. List your father's information on the left, and your mother's on the right. You could also show all the spouses of siblings in your parents' generation (your aunts and uncles) and their children (your cousins).
Is the female on the left or right on a family tree? ›Surnames are capitalized. Women are referred to by their maiden (birth) surnames. Father's line goes on the left, mother's line on the right. In couples, male partner goes on the left, female partner on the right.
What is the oldest family tree? ›Analyzing ancient DNA from a Neolithic tomb in Britain, an international team of geneticists and archeologists have mapped out the family tree of a group of 27 close biological relatives who lived around 3700 BC.
How does a new family tree start? ›Personal knowledge can form the first limbs of your family tree. Begin at home by gathering and organizing your papers, make a simple chart or list, beginning with you, your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
What is a family tree chart called? ›A pedigree chart starts with you and shows the line of your direct ancestors. It is sometimes called a family tree, lineage, or ancestry chart. Think of the pedigree chart as a shorthand master outline of your bloodline.
What level of cousin is everyone? ›He says scientists estimate that the furthest cousin on Earth we each have is a 70th cousin. "So when we're told as kids we're all family, that now scientifically you can see how we're all related through DNA and these massive family trees," Jacobs says.
Are 4th cousins really related? ›A fourth cousin is related via great-great-great-grandparents. Fourth cousins are both descendants from the same number of generations away from a common ancestor – when considering fourth cousins, this is five generations.
How many generations until everyone is related? ›
If people in this population meet and breed at random, it turns out that you only need to go back an average of 20 generations before you find an individual who is a common ancestor of everyone in the population.
How does the whole cousin thing work? ›So you are a third cousin two times removed from your grandmother's third cousin. Once you learn to figure out which generations match up and then count the generations removed you or another person are from that matched generation of cousins, you've got the whole cousin thing figured out. It's not really hard at all.
Can third cousins get married? ›In short, yes, it is legal for second and third cousins to marry in the US.
Can you marry your 2nd cousin? ›In the United States, second cousins are legally allowed to marry in every state. However, marriage between first cousins is legal in only about half of the American states. All in all, marrying your cousin or half-sibling will largely depend on the laws where you live and personal and/or cultural beliefs.
What is a cousin twice removed? ›If there is no “removed” in the relationship, it means you and your cousin are on the same generation. But if you are cousins twice removed, that means your cousin is either part of your grandparents' generation or your grandchildren's generation because they are two generations removed from you.
What do you call your mother's cousin? ›What do you call your mother's (or father's) cousin? Your mother's cousin is called your first cousin, once removed. First cousins share the same set of grandparents on either their mother's or father's side, while “once-removed” indicates the grandparents are from different generations.
How many years is 7 generations? ›Native American tribes hold dear the concept of seven generations planning, that the impact of decisions should be considered out seven generations into the future, about 150 years.
Who is a 2nd cousin to me? ›A second cousin is a someone who shares a great-grandparent with you.
What is the longest ancestry lineage? ›The lineage of K'ung Ch'iu or Confucius (551–479BC) can be traced back further than that of any other family. His great-great-great-great grandfather Kung Chia is known from the 8th century BC. Kung Chia has 86 lineal descendants.
What is a quote about a family tree? ›“Families are like branches on a tree. We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.”
Why is it called a family tree? ›
In the later medieval period, the nobility adopted the tree as a symbol of lineage, and by the eighteenth century, family pedigrees were commonly referred to as “family trees,” although the foliage had disappeared and the “roots” appeared at the top rather than the base of the diagrams.
What is your lineage? ›: the ancestors from whom a person is descended. : the people descended from the same ancestor.
What should a family tree include? ›A family tree can be as simple or as detailed as you want it to be. A simple genealogy chart may include you, your parents, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents. A more detailed family tree chart may include you, your parents, your siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins, and so on.
What is the conclusion of a family tree? ›Each name, date, place, and relationship in the tree is a conclusion. A new genealogist typically accepts conclusions without thought and without evidence. For a proficient genealogist, a conclusion is “a decision… based on well-reasoned and thoroughly documented evidence gleaned from sound research.”
How does DNA work with cousins? ›On average, you will share more DNA with a third cousin than fourth; however, a few fourth cousins could share more DNA with you than a particular third cousin shares with you. As an example, a maternal fourth cousin might share more autosomal DNA with you than a paternal third cousin.
How does Ancestry determine cousins? ›Cousins. The difference between a first, second, or third cousin is which set of grandparents you share: grandparents, great-grandparents, or great-great-grandparents.
What does 1st cousin 2 times removed mean? ›First cousins once removed are two people for whom the first cousin relationship is one generation removed. First cousins twice removed are two people for whom the second cousin relationship is two generations removed.
How many genetics do you share with cousins? ›How much DNA do cousins share? You share around 50% of your DNA with your parents and children, 25% with your grandparents and grandchildren, and 12.5% with your cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews, and nieces. A match of 3% or more can be helpful for your genealogical research — but sometimes even less.
Are 7th cousins blood related? ›Are 7th cousins blood-related? Do you share DNA with seventh cousins? You will share DNA, or genetic material, with some of your seventh cousins, but not all of them. Because of the way that DNA is passed down through the generations, we do not share DNA with all of our relatives.
How much blood do cousins share? ›| Relationship | Average % DNA Shared | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Cousin once removed Half first cousin | 6.25% | 2% - 11.5% |
| 2nd Cousin | 3.13% | 2% - 6% |
| 2nd Cousin once removed Half second cousin | 1.5% | 0.6% - 2.5% |
| 3rd Cousin | 0.78% | 0% - 2.2% |
Do you and your cousin have the same DNA? ›
First cousins share ~12.5% DNA
To figure out how much DNA any two relatives have, we need to figure out how much DNA in common they inherited from each shared ancestor. Let's look at first cousins.
Are third cousins blood related? Third cousins are always considered to be relatives from a genealogical perspective, and there is about a 90% chance that third cousins will share DNA.
Are 5th cousins blood related? ›Are Fifth Cousins Blood-Related? Fifth cousins are related, but there is a chance they do not share DNA. In fact, there is only a 10-15% chance of sharing genetics with any fifth cousin. Even if you and our fifth cousin are related by blood, the DNA shared will be small, especially when compared to closer cousins.
Can an aunt show up as a cousin on ancestry DNA? ›DNA matches who are a first cousin share a match with one of your grandparents. Besides first cousins, the matches in this category can be aunts and uncles, great-aunts and great-uncles, great-nieces and great-nephews, and so forth.
Are second cousins blood-related? ›Second cousins are blood-related because they are the children of first cousins. You share a common great-grandparent.
Is a cousin twice removed the same as a second cousin? ›One “grand”=first cousin. Still confused? Just remember this: your parent's first, second, and third cousins are your first, second, and third cousins (once removed), and your grandparents' first, second, and third cousins are your first, second, and third cousins (twice removed).
Who is your closest blood relative? ›- Husband, wife or civil partner (including cohabitee for more than 6 months).
- Son or daughter.
- Father or mother (an unmarried father must have parental responsibility in order to be nearest relative)
- Brother or sister.
- Grandparent.
- Grandchild.
- Uncle or aunt.
- Nephew or niece.
Both scientific surveys and anecdotal evidence show that typically maternal grandparents are closer to grandchildren than paternal grandparents. 1 The usual ranking goes like this, from closest to least close: maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, paternal grandfather.
Are 8th cousins blood related? ›Are eighth (8th) cousins blood related? We are unlikely to share DNA with our 8th cousins. Eighth cousins have only about a . 24% chance of showing up as DNA matches to each other.