What number cousin?

[jd_here]

What relationship do I share with someone whose great grandfather and my great grandfather were either brothers or 1st cousins?

[dundurn]

If the great-grandfathers were brothers then you are 3rd cousins. If they were 1st cousins then you are 4th cousins.

[jd_here]

Thank you Dundurn, most helpful. JD

[whiskeysheri]

Hi, jd.

dundurn is wrong, sorry. :( If they were brothers, you'd be 2nd cousins, or if they were 1st cousins, it'd make you 1st cousins thrice removed.

You are 1st cousins if you share the same grandparents, 2nd cousins if you share the same great-grandparents and so on. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cousin

[FoxLee2]

I agree with dundurn. The poster doesn't share a great grandfather with the person he is talking about. The two great grandparents were first cousins and as it has gone down three generations on each side, the poster and the person he is talking about would be 4th cousins. Also agree, if they were brothers, the relationship would be 3rd cousins.

[Goodsoulette]

Sherry is one hundred percent right!!!

the easiest way is to count the generations.

[FoxLee2]

Sorry Goudsoulette but you and whiskeysheri are 100 percent wrong! Read the first line of the web site he offers up - if people SHARE a common ancestor...

Now read the post jd_here and the person he mentions have DIFFERENT great grandparents who are first cousins. Now YOU count the generations down.

[chazza]

If your parents were siblings you would be first cousins
If your grandparents were siblings you would be second cousins

So if your great-grandparents were siblings you would therefore be THIRD cousins

If your great-grandparents were cousins (which would mean your great-great-grandparents were siblings) you would therefore be FOURTH cousins.

Dundurn and Foxlee2 are correct!

[FoxLee2]

Thanks for that chazza.

If you're still not convinced - imagine that you are the great grandparent and one of your first cousins is also a great grandparent. Your children and his would be second cousins to each other, your grandchildren and his would be third cousins to each other and your great grandchildren and his would be fourth cousins to each other.

[jd_here]

Wow, a real can of worms. I am most grateful to you all for your contributions, thank you. JD

[Goodsoulette]

Erkk... I read it as if they had the same grandfather. As Im sure Sheri did.