What does it mean to be a third cousin, twice removed?

D. A. Sharpe, Aurora, TX

The “removed” term signifies the number of generations that one is removed from the initially described relationship. 

You should be able to understand what it is to have a first cousin.  That is the child of one of your parent’s siblings.  If your first cousin, Robert, has a child named Charlie, your relationship to that Charlie is as a first cousin, once removed. 

If your first cousin Robert has grandchild, then your relationship to that grandchild is as a first cousin, twice removed.

Concerning your first cousin, once removed named Charlie.  If you have a child, your child’s relationship to Charlie is as a second cousin.  Children of first cousins are second cousins to each other. 

Likewise, the grandchildren of first cousins are third cousins to each other. 

If you are a third cousin to Sally who has a grand child named William, your relationship to William is as a third cousin, twice removed.

Here’s a good Internet reference to explain these things:

http://www.genealogy.com/16_cousn.html?Welcome=1096554156

What is it to be a Half?

D. A. Sharpe, Aurora, TX

What is a half brother? Or, what is a half cousin?

This is the situation when one parent is a common ancestor of two people, but they have another spouse of that common ancestor as the other parent.

For example: Your mother dies and your father remarries, producing more children. Those children from the second marriage are your half brothers or half sisters. Similarly, if your uncle dies and your aunt remarries, producing children in the second marriage, those second marriage children are your half first cousins. 

There are a lot of other types of relationships, such as double cousins, step double cousins, etc.  A complete explanation is available by CLICKING HERE.