This is my attempt at explaining what I refer to as "That Cousin Stuff" which confuses a lot of people. If you are not one of them, feel free to delete this and mush on to the next e-mail burning a hole in your basket. Bev There are 2 rules - 1. First, second, third, etc cousins refer to generations from the common ancestor. 2. "Removes" are used when the number of generations from the common ancestor are not even. Which means that your first cousin's child is your first cousin once removed. Here is a family example - Abe and Betty are married and have 2 kids - Charlie and Donna - who are of course brother and sister. Charlie has George Donna has Hazel Charlie is uncle Hazel and of course Donna is George's aunt - that's the easy part. George and Hazel are first cousins and their spouses are also first cousins (none of the once removed stuff yet). Let's jump down one more generation. George has a son, Igor, and Hazel has a son, Jack. Now here goes the seconds and removes - Jack and Igor are second cousins. George and Jack and first cousins once removed. So are Hazel and Igor The first, second, third etc relationships show the same number of generations down from the common ancestor (good ole Abe and Betty). When the number of generations from the common ancestor are different, the 'removes' kick in. So we have: Abe/Betty - Charlie - George - Igor Abe/Betty - Donna - Hazel - Jack Adding another generation - Abe/Betty - Charlie - George - Igor - Lee Abe/Betty - Donna - Hazel - Jack - Mary which gives us - Common Ancestor - siblings - first cousins - second cousins - third cousins The relationship between a first cousin and a second cousin is a first cousin once removed. The relationship between a first cousin and a third cousin is a first cousin twice removed. The relationship between a second cousin and a third cousin is second cousin once removed. The 'removes' simply mean that the generations are not even from the common ancestor. I hope this helps you make some sense of all those things great Aunt Betty told you. .....