# Grandparents & Great Aunts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 16, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346 "2000-02-16T16:46:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drollman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f04885/32.png) [@drollman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drollman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/1 "2000-02-16T16:46:00Z")
Why do we refer to our parents Aunts & Uncles as “Great”, yet we refer to our parents parents as “Grand”. True, our parents grandparents are “Great Grandparents” but Uncles and Aunts get to be “Great” without the extra generation. Why don’t we refer to our parents Aunts & Uncles as “Grand Aunts” or “Grand Uncles”? * * * My fate keeps getting in the way of my destiny. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/2 "2000-02-17T06:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by drollman: > \*\*Why do we refer to our parents Aunts & Uncles as “Great”, yet we refer to our parents parents as “Grand”. True, our parents grandparents are “Great Grandparents” but Uncles and Aunts get to be “Great” without the extra generation. Why don’t we refer to our parents Aunts & Uncles as “Grand Aunts” or “Grand Uncles”? > \*\* Mainly because we think Grand Uncle sounds funny. However, if you are checking consanguinity tables, you will see the term “Grand Uncle”. In the US, “Great Uncle” seems to be preferred, but in the rest of the English speaking world “Grand Uncle” is used. My family tree program makes charts showing relationships and the software uses “Grand Uncle/Aunt”. If you say “Grand Uncle/Aunt” you can keep your generations in order better. (Your Grand Uncle/Aunt should be a brother or sister of one of your grandparents.) Now, let’s move on to second cousins, twice removed. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/3 "2000-02-17T06:23:00Z")
Yes, let’s. I’ve never been sure of the terminology for that. My mother’s cousin: what is she in relation to me? My cousin’s daughter: what is she in relation to me? My cousin’s cousin: what is she in relation to me? ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/4 "2000-02-16T19:20:00Z")
OK, here goes: First cousins are people of the same generation who have a grandparent in common. Second cousins have a great-grandparent in common. Third cousins have a great-great grandparent in common. “Removed” means separated by a generation. My mother’s first cousin is my first cousin once removed. This person’s children are my second cousins. I’m looking for a chart that explains it. * * * Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/5 "2000-02-16T19:23:00Z")
To better answer your question, Arnold: Your mother’s Xth cousin is your Xth cousin once removed. Likewise, your Xth cousin’s child is your Xth cousin once removed. ## It’s hard to say what your cousin’s cousin is to you. That person could be your brother or could be completely unrelated to you. Plunging like stones from a slingshot on Mars. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/6 "2000-02-16T19:33:00Z")
_My mother’s cousin: what is she in relation to me?_ She would be your cousin (of the same degree) once removed. For instance, if she were your mother’s second cousin, she would be your second cousin once removed. _My cousin’s daughter: what is she in relation to me?_ She would be your cousin (of the same degree) once removed as well. _My cousin’s cousin: what is she in relation to me?_ It depends. If you all have an ancestor in common, you’d be cousins (to the greater degree of the relationship). For instance your first cousin’s second cousin (assuming you are all related by the same ancestor) would be your second cousin. If you don’t have an ancestor in common, you’re unrelated. For instance if you have a first cousin where you are both related on the maternal side (i.e. you both share the same maternal grandparents), and that cousin has a first cousin related on the paternal side (i.e. they share paternal grandparents), you are unrelated to your cousin’s cousin. ---
**Author:** ![SoMoMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SoMoMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoMoMom)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandparents-great-aunts/7346/7 "2000-02-16T21:20:00Z")
So is grandnephew more proper than great-nephew? I always get a funny look when I talk about my grandnephews and grandniece. And I wish it was because I am way too young to be a great-aunt (I am, BTW), but no it’s because I use the term “grand-”.