# Family relationships **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 27, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015 "2002-11-27T01:36:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015/1 "2002-11-27T01:36:44Z")
My sister’s daughter is my niece, I know that much. Are my niece’s children my cousins? If so, are they first, third, close, kissing or what? Is my niece’s husband a relative of mine? Is my niece related to my wife? What is the relationship to my wife, if any? How about my niece’s kids? Are they related to my wife? Is there a website that clearly and lucidly explains all this kind of stuff? I never got the Southern family explanation of all this and wouldn’t care now, except that Marcie asked me and I don’t know the answer. As always, thanks for any information that may be provided. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015/2 "2002-11-27T01:57:16Z")
Start from a common ancestor. The first generation are siblings. The second generation are first cousins. The third generation are second cousins. Etc. Each relationship in which the parties are not the same number of generations from the common ancestor are indicated by “(generations) removed” _except_ that that sibling relationship in the first generation messes it up. So you and your sibling are one generation from your parent(s). Your niece is one _more_ generation away from your parent(s). Her children are two generations away from the common ancestor, making you a great-uncle. Your niece’s husband is an in-law (although American usage either provides no name or calls him “nephew” or, more rarely, “nephew-in-law”). Similarly, American usage makes your wife your niece’s aunt, although it is really an “in-law” situation. Now, _your_ children and your niece are first cousins (since they are the same number of generations (2) away from the common ancestor(s), your parent(s). The children of your niece are one generation further removed from the common ancestor(s), so your children and your niece’s children are _first cousins, once removed_. Your grandchildren and your niece’s children are the same number (3) of generations from the common ancestor(s), so they are _second cousins_, while your children and your niece’s grandchildren will be _first cousins, twice removed_ (since your children are two generations from the common ancestor(s), but the niece’s grandchildren will be four generations from the common ancestor(s). You might search **GQ** for “cousin” as this topic has come up, periodically, and someone may have found a clear way to explain it. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015/3 "2002-11-27T02:26:29Z")
Your niece’s children are your grandnieces and grandnephews. Your niece’s husband is not a blood relative of yours, obviously. He is a relative by marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015/4 "2002-11-27T02:46:17Z")
check out this cousin table [http://members.aol.com/anolelady/cuztable.htm](http://members.aol.com/anolelady/cuztable.htm) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-relationships/139015/5 "2002-11-27T08:47:04Z")
Thanks for the information. Most helpful—I could never keep straight as to who is related to whom and how.