Cousin Chart
The Cousin Chart is a reference tool covering cousin chart, cousin relationship chart, family relationship chart, first second third cousin chart. Use the chart below to look up values instantly. Printable and downloadable versions are available on this page.
Cousin Relationship Chart
| Person A \ Person B | Child | Grandchild | Great-Grandchild | 2nd Great-Grandchild | 3rd Great-Grandchild |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child | Siblings | Uncle/Aunt — Nephew/Niece | Great-Uncle/Aunt — Great-Nephew/Niece | Great-Great-Uncle/Aunt — Great-Great-Nephew/Niece | 3× Great-Uncle/Aunt — 3× Great-Nephew/Niece |
| Grandchild | Uncle/Aunt — Nephew/Niece | 1st Cousins | 1st Cousin Once Removed | 1st Cousin Twice Removed | 1st Cousin Three Times Removed |
| Great-Grandchild | Great-Uncle/Aunt — Great-Nephew/Niece | 1st Cousin Once Removed | 2nd Cousins | 2nd Cousin Once Removed | 2nd Cousin Twice Removed |
| 2nd Great-Grandchild | Great-Great-Uncle/Aunt — Great-Great-Nephew/Niece | 1st Cousin Twice Removed | 2nd Cousin Once Removed | 3rd Cousins | 3rd Cousin Once Removed |
| 3rd Great-Grandchild | 3× Great-Uncle/Aunt — 3× Great-Nephew/Niece | 1st Cousin Three Times Removed | 2nd Cousin Twice Removed | 3rd Cousin Once Removed | 4th Cousins |
Source: Standard genealogical relationship terminology — ISOGG Wiki — Cousin
How Cousin Degrees Work — Explained
- The cousin number (1st, 2nd, 3rd) refers to how far back you must go to find a common ancestor. 1st cousins share grandparents. 2nd cousins share great-grandparents. 3rd cousins share great-great-grandparents. Add one degree for each additional generation back.
- "Removed" counts the generational difference between two cousins. If one person is a generation older or younger than the other they are "once removed." Two generations apart = "twice removed." 1st cousin once removed means one of the pair is actually the child of a 1st cousin.
- Double cousins are people who are cousins through both their mothers' and their fathers' sides simultaneously — this occurs when two siblings from one family marry two siblings from another family. Double first cousins share all four grandparents and are genetically as close as half-siblings.
- Half cousins share only one grandparent in common rather than two — this occurs when the connecting parent is a half-sibling. Half first cousins share one grandparent rather than two.
Genetic Relatedness by Cousin Type
| Relationship | Average % of DNA Shared | Centimorgans (cM) Shared Range |
|---|---|---|
| Full siblings | 50% | 2,300 to 3,900 cM |
| Half siblings | 25% | 1,160 to 2,050 cM |
| 1st cousins | 12.5% | 548 to 1,211 cM |
| 1st cousins once removed | 6.25% | 248 to 638 cM |
| 2nd cousins | 3.13% | 46 to 515 cM |
| 2nd cousins once removed | 1.56% | 0 to 316 cM |
| 3rd cousins | 0.78% | 0 to 173 cM |
| 4th cousins | 0.20% | 0 to 142 cM |
DNA sharing is probabilistic — these are averages with wide ranges. Two people can share more or less DNA than typical for their relationship. DNA testing services like 23andMe and AncestryDNA use these ranges to predict relationships from raw cM values.
Source: Blaine Bettinger — The Shared cM Project 3.0 and ISOGG Wiki — Autosomal DNA Statistics
Family Relationship Calculator
Select each person's relationship to a common ancestor and the calculator will return the exact relationship title, a visual matrix, and an explanation of what "removed" means in context.
Relationship
1st Cousins
You share the same grandparents.
Visual Relationship Matrix — click any cell to see that relationship
| A \ B | Child | Grandchild | Great-Grandchild | 2nd Great-Grandchild | 3rd Great-Grandchild |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child | Siblings | Uncle or Aunt / Nephew or Niece | Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Nephew or Niece | Great-Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Great-Nephew or Niece | Great-Great-Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Great-Great-Nephew or Niece |
| Grandchild | Uncle or Aunt / Nephew or Niece | 1st Cousins | 1st Cousin Once Removed | 1st Cousin Twice Removed | 1st Cousin Three times Removed |
| Great-Grandchild | Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Nephew or Niece | 1st Cousin Once Removed | 2nd Cousins | 2nd Cousin Once Removed | 2nd Cousin Twice Removed |
| 2nd Great-Grandchild | Great-Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Great-Nephew or Niece | 1st Cousin Twice Removed | 2nd Cousin Once Removed | 3rd Cousins | 3rd Cousin Once Removed |
| 3rd Great-Grandchild | Great-Great-Great-Uncle or Aunt / Great-Great-Great-Nephew or Niece | 1st Cousin Three times Removed | 2nd Cousin Twice Removed | 3rd Cousin Once Removed | 4th Cousins |
Click any cell in the matrix to update the result above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 1st cousin?
1st cousins are the children of siblings — your parent and your 1st cousin's parent are brothers or sisters. You share a set of grandparents with your 1st cousin.
What does "once removed" mean?
"Once removed" means there is a one-generation difference between two cousins. Your 1st cousin's child is your 1st cousin once removed — you share the same great-grandparents but they are one generation further from those ancestors than you are.
What are 2nd cousins?
2nd cousins are the grandchildren of siblings — your grandparent and your 2nd cousin's grandparent are brothers or sisters. You share a set of great-grandparents with your 2nd cousin.
Are 1st cousins allowed to marry in the US?
1st cousin marriage is legal in 26 US states and prohibited in 24 states. It is legal in most countries outside the US and has been common throughout history in many cultures.
How much DNA do 1st cousins share?
1st cousins share on average approximately 12.5 percent of their DNA — equivalent to roughly 548 to 1,211 centimorgans. The actual amount varies due to the random nature of genetic inheritance.
What is a double cousin?
Double first cousins occur when two siblings from one family each marry a sibling from another family — the children of these two couples are double first cousins. They share all four grandparents and approximately 25 percent of their DNA rather than the typical 12.5 percent.
Can DNA tests determine cousin relationships?
Yes — consumer DNA tests from 23andMe, AncestryDNA, and MyHeritage estimate relationship type from the total centimorgans of shared DNA. 1st cousins sharing 548+ cM are easy to identify, while more distant relationships (3rd cousins and beyond) have overlapping ranges and require additional analysis.
What is a kissing cousin?
Kissing cousin is an informal term that traditionally referred to cousins close enough to greet with a kiss — roughly any cousin up to the 2nd or 3rd degree. In modern usage it more loosely means any distant relative or person who is closely associated but not immediate family.