In this section, we will explain what some commonly used genealogy terminology means.

Article Index:

Common Kinship Terms

From a common ancestor, these are common kinship terms for the first four generations.

What does a first cousin, twice removed mean?

Most people have a good understanding of basic relationship words such as "mother," "father," "aunt," "uncle," "brother," and "sister." But what about the relationship terms that we don't use in everyday speech? Terms like "second cousin" and "first cousin, once removed?"

Most of us don't feel the need to speak in such exact terms in everyday conversations, but they become important in the study of family genealogy relationships. Here is a brief chart to help you out.