> Hey, Good day to all. I was just wondering how it is determined > whether someone is your first second third fourth etc. cousin. > > Thanks for any answers! > > "Chau" <[email protected]> The chart that Kevin linked in the last thread is a handy guide for looking up the label, and it is one such guide among many. But the underlying principle is that two people must both descend from a common ancestor in no fewer than three generations on each line. The process may be summarized as follows. 1. Count the generations of descent for both cousins. Include both the common ancestors and the target descendants in the counts. 2. Both numbers must be greater than or equal to 3. If either number is less than 3, it will be inaccurate to describe the individuals as cousins. 3. Subtract 2 from the smaller number. Convert that number to an ordinal (e.g., 3 - 2 =1 --> 1st). 4. Express the difference between the generation counts as "times removed." The numbers are based on how far back the common ancestors are, and on whether there is enough of an age difference between ancestors in the intermediate generations to produce a chronological displacement. Austin W. Spencer "Austin W. Spencer" <[email protected]>