Hi Richard, There's quite an interesting site about cousins at http://www.geocities.com/luvacuzn4/index.html Here's an extract from the site: I have always gotten a kick out of telling people that I am a cousin to myself. My maternal grandparents were first cousins once removed -- my grandfather married the daughter of his first cousin. His cousin was 15 years his senior and he was a few years older than my grandmother. In any event, following the above definitions -- second cousins are the children of first cousins -- we can see what may appear to be a contradiction. Because they are both daughters of first cousins, my mother is a second cousin to her own mother. This makes me a third cousin to my mother, as she and I are both children of second cousins in the same ancestral lineage. And, of course, to myself I am a third cousin, once removed (3C1R). Thus, when I use my genealogy software to print out the descendants of Samuel CHACEY (our common ancestor) I appear twice (and in different generations)-- once as a descendant of my grandfather and once in my grandmother's line. What better proof that I am my own cousin. Hope this helps, John On [2007-06-20 at 06:10pm] Richard Hardwick <RiHardwick@comcast.net> wrote: > I just entered a bunch of new names in my FTM notes and as I > always do, when I finish a new group of names, I always > check to see how people are related to each other via the > "Kinship Report." > > Well, this time, I see that I'm related to "self" and I am > my own "8th cousin" as well as my own "9th cousin." I'm not > sure this was result of the entry of this last group of > names or it's been around for awhile, but I'm stumped. > > I know 2 people can be related to each other in a bunch of > different ways (e.g. 4th cousin or 5th cousin, 1 x removed) > depending on ancestors but have you ever found that you are > a cousin to yourself? > > Blowing my mind. Any explanations?

This reminds me of that song by Ray Stevens, I'm My Own Grandpa Tab. Diana ------- I'm My Own Grandpa by Ray Stevens Now many, many years ago when I was twenty-three I was married to a widder who was pretty as can be This widder had a grown up daughter who had hair of red My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed. This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life My daughter was my mother for she was my father's wife To complicate the matter even though it brought me joy I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy. My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad And so became my uncle though it made me very sad For if he was my uncle then that also made him brother Of the widder's grown up daughter who of course was my step-mother. Father's wife then had a son who kept him on the run And he became my grandchild for he was my daughter's son My wife is now my mother's mother and it makes me blue Because although she is my wife, she's my grandmother too. Now if my wife is my grandmother, then I'm her grandchild And every time I think of it, it nearly drives me wild For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw As husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa. I'm my own grand-pa. I'm my own grand-pa. It sounds funny I know, but it really is so Oh, I'm my own grand-pa. ----------------- > > This makes me a third cousin to my mother, as > she and I are both children of second cousins in the > same ancestral lineage. And, of course, to myself I am > a third cousin, once removed (3C1R). Thus, when I use > my genealogy software to print out the descendants of > Samuel CHACEY (our common ancestor) I appear twice (and > in different generations)-- once as a descendant of my > grandfather and once in my grandmother's line. What > better proof that I am my own cousin. > > >