The term second cousin once removed refers to second cousins who are one generation removed from each other. That is, a second cousin once removed is either the child of one's second cousin or the second cousin of one's parent.
To understand this relationship, it is important first to understand what a second cousin is. Second cousins share a common set of great-grandparents. Therefore, the grandchildren of two siblings are second cousins. A second cousin once removed is one generation removed from a second cousin.
The term "removed" is used to describe the number of generations between two individuals in a family tree. In the case of a second cousin once removed, the term "removed" indicates that the two individuals are not of the same generation. Each "removal" represents a generation.
It is important to note that a second cousin once removed is not the same as a first cousin twice removed, even though both relationships are one generation removed from a cousin. A first cousin twice removed is the grandchild of one's first cousin, while a second cousin once removed is the child of one's second cousin or the second cousin of one's parent.
See also
Explore more about family relationships
- What Does Once Removed Mean? Untangling Family Relationships on the MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- New Relationship Diagram on MyHeritage, from the MyHeritage Blog
- The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships on Legacy Family Tree Webinars