First cousins share a set of grandparents, second cousins share a set of great-grandparents, and third cousins share a set of great-great-grandparents. As the generations between the two cousins increases, so does the degree of cousinhood.Know More
The degree of cousinhood (first, second or third) is determined by the number of generations between two cousins and their nearest common ancestor. First cousins are the children of a person's aunt or uncle. For instance, Polly's mother has a sister, Suzie. Suzie has a daughter named Lilly. Polly and Lilly are first cousins. Since Polly's mother and her sister Suzie have the same parents, Polly and Lilly share a set of grandparents. This means there is one generation between Polly and Lilly and their common ancestor.
Second cousins are the children of first cousins. Polly's children and Lilly's children would be second cousins since they share a set of great-grandparents. This means there are two generations between them and a common ancestor.
Third cousins are the grandchildren of first cousins. Polly's grandchildren and Lilly's grandchildren would be third cousins, as they share a set of great-great-grandparents but have three generations between them and a common ancestor. This continues down the line until there is no longer a common ancestor between two people.Learn more about Genealogy
A stepsister is the daughter of one's stepparent, while a half-sister shares the same biological mother or father. A half-sister can only share one biological parent to be considered a half-sibling.Full Answer >
Family refers to two or more people interrelated through blood, marriage, fostering or adoption. Normally, a family is perceived to live together in the same household, albeit for varying durations. On the other hand, kinship refers to the system by which a given culture defines, determines and recognizes family roles, interactions and relationships. Kinship also defines and describes peoples' rights, roles, powers and responsibilities in a family or clan setup.Full Answer >
The difference between a stepbrother and a half-brother is whether he is related only through marriage or whether he is a blood relative. Half-brothers share one biological parent, while stepbrothers do not.Full Answer >
A grand-aunt or grand-uncle is the sibling of your grandparent, while great-aunts and great-uncles are further removed. However, "grand" and "great" are often used interchangeably.Full Answer >