To Paula and Kim,
I found this on the internet...
A term often found in genealogy is "removed," specifically when
referring to family relationships. Indeed, almost everyone has heard of a
"second cousin once removed," but many people cannot explain that
relationship. Of course, a person might be more than once removed, as in
third cousin, four times removed.
In short, the definition of cousins is two people who share a common
ancestor. Here are a few definitions of cousin relationships:
First Cousin: Your first cousins are the people in your family who
have at least one of the same grandparents as you. In other words, they
are the children of your aunts and uncles.
Second Cousin: Your second cousins are the people in your family who share the same great-grandparent with you.
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Cousins:
Your third cousins share at least one great-great-grandparent, fourth
cousins share a great-great-great-grandparent, and so on.
Removed: When the word "removed" is used to describe a relationship,
it indicates that the two people are from different generations. "Once
removed" indicates a difference of one generation, "twice removed"
indicates a difference of two generations, and so forth.
For example, the child of your first cousin is your first cousin, once
removed. That is, your cousin's child would be "almost" your first
cousin, except that he or she is one generation removed from that
relationship. Likewise, the grandchild of your first cousin is your
first cousin, twice removed (two generations removed from being a first
cousin).
Many people confuse the term "first cousin, once removed" with "second cousin." The two are not the same.
So to put it into our family:
Grace and I (Judy) are first cousins because our parents are brother and sister and we share the same Grandmother and Grandfather.
Paula and Sammy are the next generation after ours which makes them my first cousins, once removed, because we still share the same grandparents but they are actually Paula and Sammy's Great Grandparent.
Shannon, Jennifer and Danielle are the next generation after Paula and Sammy which makes them first cousins, twice removed, because we share the same grandparents, but Shannon, Jennifer and Danielle are the great great grand children.
Basically...for each generation: great = once removed, great great = twice removed, great great great = three times remove.
I hope this explains things for you guys a little better. AND...I hope I explained it correctly.
Peace Out!
