# How many grandparents do you have? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111 "2006-04-03T18:26:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/1 "2006-04-03T18:26:14Z")
Like most people, I have four biological grandparents. But because my parents and grandparents were all well-versed in the art of remarrying, there are ten to twelve people I can consider grandparents. To wit: [ol] [li]My mother’s mother[/li][li]My mother’s father[/li][li]My father’s mother[/li][li]My father’s father[/li][li]My stepfather’s mother[/li][li]My stepfather’s father[/li][li]My mother’s mother’s second husband[/li][li]My mother’s father’s second wife[/li][li]My mother’s father’s third wife[/li][li]My father’s father’s second wife[/li][li]My father’s father’s second wife’s first husband[/li][li]My father’s father’s second wife’s third husband[/li][/ol] The reason I say ten to twelve is because I’ve never even met #11, and I only met #12 once (before he and #10 divorced). I’m not even going to bother counting aunts, uncles and cousins. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/2 "2006-04-03T18:27:29Z")
4, all dead ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/3 "2006-04-03T18:31:45Z")
At one time, I had 4. They’ve all passed though. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/4 "2006-04-03T18:36:31Z")
My parent’s parents are all deceased, so count me in as ‘none.’ My step-mother’s parents are both alive, but since I hardly know them, I don’t consider them ‘grandparents.’ ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/5 "2006-04-03T18:36:56Z")
All my grandparents are dead (not surprising, since I’m now 60 years old), and I never met my grandfathers. I guess that I do have a fifth grandparent, even though she died before my parents born, since my mother was product of her father’s second marriage. I was vaguely aware of it before, but it was made more real for me about a month ago when I met for the first time a descendant of the first marriage. So what are you if you share just one grandparent? Half-cousins? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/6 "2006-04-03T18:51:43Z")
I guess I should’ve titled the thread “How many grandparents have you ever had”. On my list, #1-#4 and #6 are deceased, but I didn’t think to count them off. > [@Giles](#): > > So what are you if you share just one grandparent? Half-cousins? As long you have an ancestor in common, you’re cousins. If you’re both grandchildren of the common ancestor(s), you’re first cousins once removed. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/7 "2006-04-03T18:56:08Z")
I’ve had four, one is still alive (87 and no signs of failing). My Grandpa on Mom’s side was married and divorced before marrying Grandma. (He had knocked up her best friend and “had” to get married.) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/8 "2006-04-03T18:57:20Z")
Never had a grandparent I was aware of. Bummer, huh? I’ve thought about adopting one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/9 "2006-04-03T19:05:45Z")
1. Dad’s side passed away at 65 and 86-or-87. Mom’s side is alive and kicking anybody who gets within reach. Gramps (91) had a stroke a month ago and it awakened his fighter side, which had been kind of dormant of late; he’s not getting any rehab (in theory he should, but younger people have a higher priority) but already can dress himself, go to the bathroom by himself and eat by himself so long as someone else cuts the food. They’re still living on their own but have gotten a cleaning lady. Thanks God, the cleaning lady doesn’t mind having a 92-year-old pocket fury watching over her shoulder as she works. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/10 "2006-04-03T19:09:51Z")
4, all dead, and even if they wanted to divorce (father’s side) they never would have. 😃 > [@levdrakon](#): > > Never had a grandparent I was aware of. Bummer, huh? > > I’ve thought about adopting one. 🙂 Poor thing. I only had one grandparent whom I met alive, and even those brief moments are exceedingly precious. I suggest you volunteer at an old folks’ home or a Veteran’s Hospital. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/11 "2006-04-03T19:17:27Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > So what are you if you share just one grandparent? Half-cousins? Do you like soap operas? OK, as you may know, Hispanics use two lastnames. This tidbit is necessary in order to follow the story. Also, in Spanish “step-anything” has negative resonances, it somehow implies you don’t get along. Names have been changed to make sure I don’t get murdered if they read it, I’m not explaining anything that’s not true but some of them are picky. 1. Mr García married Miss Pérez. They had 2 kids, whose lastnames are García Potter. 2. Mr García died. 3. Mrs Pérez, widow of García, married Mr Sanmartín. They had 4 children, Sanmartín Pérez. 4. Mrs Pérez died. 5. Mr Sanmartín married Miss Martínez. They had 3 children, Sanmartín Martínez. 6. Mr Sanmartín died. 7. Mrs Martínez, widow of Sanmartín, married Mr Bonilla. They had 5 children, Bonilla Martínez. If you tell any of those 14 children (most of whom are grandparents by now and some of whom are not genetically related) that they aren’t brothers, or the next generation that they aren’t cousins, or the third generation that they’re not second-cousins, you’re in for a lot of pain. At the very least you’ll have over 50 people yelling at you at the top of their lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/12 "2006-04-03T19:20:00Z")
I never had step-grands. Just the original 4. They’ve all passed on now. Mom’s dad diead at 70. He was the youngster. Mom’s mother went at 92. Dad’s father at 96. Dad’s mother at 103. I’m going to be here a while. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/13 "2006-04-03T19:37:54Z")
Two that I know of, my mother’s parents. Never met my father, so have no idea about his. I consider myself luck to still have my original two. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/14 "2006-04-03T19:57:33Z")
I’ve only had 4, all deceased now. Last one in 1991, I think. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/15 "2006-04-03T20:07:43Z")
1. My great grandmother. (Died about 10 years ago) My dad’s mum. Still here. My dad’s dad. (Died when I was very young) My mum’s mum. Still here. My mum’s dad. (Died about 5 years ago) My mum’s step dad. (Died about 2 years.) I considered them all my Grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/16 "2006-04-03T20:30:48Z")
I never had grandparents. However, my parents became granparents before I was born. So I guess you could say I had two, but they were somebody else’s. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/17 "2006-04-03T20:32:58Z")
My mother’s parents where both alive when I was born, although her dad died when I was a toddler. My dad’s parents were also alive when I was born. My grandmother on that side died when I was 18. My grandad remarried 3 years later, giving me a step-grandmother. Grandad died just 3 weeks after he remarried. And his second wife died 10 or 12 years after that. So that’s 5. If you go back to great-grands, I did have one great-grandparent whom I knew personally. My paternal grandmother’s mother lived to be around 112. She was married 3 times, BTW, although I never knew any of her husbands. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/18 "2006-04-03T20:57:09Z")
4, originally, but I only knew 3. My father’s father died before I was born, and evidently that was no big loss. I’m down to one now. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/19 "2006-04-03T20:59:53Z")
Five. Four biological ones plus my paternal grandfather’s second wife. Both the males are dead now, but all the females are alive. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111/20 "2006-04-03T21:03:04Z")
1 and 2: my mother’s parents 3 and 4: my father’s parents 5 and 6: my mother’s ex stepfather (that raised her) and the lady he married after he divorced my grandmother 7 and 8: my mother’s other ex stepfather, and her current stepfather. 9 and 10 : my father’s current stepparents 11 - about 13\* my father’s former step parents \*I’m not really sure how many there were. Could have been two, or could have been three. I’ve only met one of them. 1,5,6 and 8 all came to Christmas dinner last year at the same time (my grandmother, and her husband usually try to leave before her ex, and his wife show up). It was quite uncomfortable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-grandparents-do-you-have/351111.md?page=2)