Firsts, Seconds, and Removeds

Finally, I get to give a tutorial on a subject near and dear to my heart.

This works better if you print out the text of this entry (highlight and print "selection") and then double click on the chart so you can see it clearly.

The chart below demonstrates very clearly who is first cousin to whom and second cousin to whom, and even lends itself to the "removeds". As long as you stay within the same nuclear family, that is, including descendants. With a pair of scissors or some imagination, you can extend it between Rowes and Ignatuks.

Here goes:

Locate Bob and Addie (Ignatuk) Rowe.

The level immediately below them contains their children + children-in-law- and children-outlaws -- aka "sibs"

THEIR children appear on the next line. These people are all first cousins if they don't share a parent.

The line under Rodger and sibs (and wives) is the next generation and is occupied by only, at the moment, anyway, Maya and Riley -- 2nd cousins. Similarly, Jed and CC - and other non-sibs on the same line - are 2nd cousins, being children of people who are first cousins.

It's all connected to how many generations down one is from the first common ancestor(s) found on the way up.

Removeds

Since you would have to go up one line from Riley in order to locate, say, Paul, we can say that Riley is one line removed from Paul - who is first cousin to Riley's dad, Cam. Hence, altogether class . . . . first cousin, once removed.

You can take that same explanation to the lines above Addie, where her sibs appear. Children of the three siblings are cousins -- first cousins. So Wayne, Kathy, etc. are first cousins to Rodger, Dick, Fred and Betsy -- and each other (except for sibs, of course, and married-ins.)

THEIR children are first cousins to their parents' sibs' children, but second cousins to their parents' first cousins' children. That's why Caroline appears on the same line as Amy (first cousin) and Courtney (second cousin,) for example ragardless of differences in ages.

You might want to read that one again, slowly, with your finger on the chart.

Caroline is between Riley and Maya in age, but her relationship with them is (this is a bonus question) . . . . . . second cousin, once removed since, if we stretched the whole thing out instead of stacking it like it is, you would see that Maya and Riley are that one extra generation removed from the starting place, which is Bob's and Addie's generation, or, taken a step further, all of the kids' common ancestors which would be Grampa Sam and Grandma Kay. PHEW! It would go: Kay, Addie, Rodger/Dick, Chris/Cam, Maya/Riley . . . and Kay, Dan, Jeff, Caroline. You know that Rodger/Dick and Jeff/et al are first cousins, making Chris/Cam and Caroline second cousins, and Maya/Riley and Caroline -- second cousins once removed.

See?

I know . . . still clear as mud, right?

Aunties, Uncles, Great and otherwise

Let's use Betsey this time. She is aunt to her brothers' children -- and Great-Aunt to theirs. Technically, it's Grand-Aunt, I suppose, but I was always told Great-Aunt, Great-Uncle when I was growing up. This is open to revision with very little persuasion necessary. The point I'm trying to make is that, although she is obviously older than, say, Courtney or Caroline, because she is cousin to their parents, she remains cousin - albeit first cousin, once removed. It "feels" more appropriate to say "aunt" with the age difference, but no. Not this time. Apply the same thinking to uncles.

Final note on age and relationships: in my family, I have siblings who are younger than my eldest niece. They are aunt and uncle to my niece, in spite of being younger than she, because they are siblings to her mother.

There will be a quiz at the next reunion.