# Why don't we have grand-uncles?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 10, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505 "2007-05-10T03:40:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [May 10, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505/1 "2007-05-10T03:40:51Z")

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Is there any reason why we traditionally go from uncle/aunt to great uncle/aunt, instead of following the same levels we use for parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc.? Were the terms grand-aunt and grand-uncle ever widely used in any region or time period?

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505/2 "2007-05-10T04:44:15Z")

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Genealogists prefer “grand-aunt” and “grand-uncle” over the “great-” versions, because they parallel “grandmother” and “grandmother”, who are of the same generation.

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**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505/3 "2007-05-10T04:53:48Z")

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While not dealing with the OP I would like it to be known that my great-niece told me (after taking her for a ride on my Harley) that I was, “Teenage cool.”  
And I do know for a fact that I am indeed, “One Great Uncle.”

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**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:** [May 10, 2007, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-have-grand-uncles/403505/4 "2007-05-10T12:30:07Z")

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What **Walloon** said. It’s just problematic to get non-genealogists to use the right lingo.