What is meant by 'cousin once removed'?

Answer 1

== == When people talk about their cousins, 'removed' is a reference to the difference in generations. Your mother's cousin would be your cousin once-removed. The children of your mother's cousin would be your second cousins, the same generation of descendants from the common ancestors. Most people just refer to them as cousins and don't worry about the specific generation. The genealogists in the family like to be more specific.

Answer 2

A "cousin once removed" is the child of your cousin, or the cousin of your parent. Being a cousin means that the two of you are descended from a common ancestor. First cousins are descended from a common grandparent, second cousins from a great grand parent, third cousins from a common great great grandparent, etc. Being "removed" means that the two of you are a different number of generations from your common ancestor, and being "once removed" means that the difference is one generation. So, you and your first cousin are descended from a common grandparent, let's call her Clara. You are each the second generation from Clara, the first generation being your parent, Clara's child. Your first cousin's child is also your first cousin, since you are both descended from Clara, your grandparent. However, your first cousin's child is the third generation from Clara and so is "once removed" from you. Your child and your first cousin's child are also descended Clara, just as you and your first cousin are, but as your children are both three generations from Clara (who is their great grandparent), they are second cousins to each other. You always figure the cousinship number (First, Second, etc.) by the relationship between the common ancestor and the descendant who is closer in generations to that ancestor. You figure the removed number by the difference in generations from the common ancestor between the two people being compared.