Kin Is Kin

I must be getting old! I can barely keep up with all the advancements in technology. But I know that I HAVE to so that I can see what my kids are up to. And I WANT to so that I can work on my family history more efficiently! The technological changes I can understand, but what about the "new" kinship lingo? Wait, it's not new!  I just read that this is the old way and that my way was the new way!  Okay, so maybe it's not new, but it's new to me. I just found out that my great-aunt is really my grand-aunt and that my 3rd cousin is really my 2nd cousin. Who's idea was that? I don't know, but I figure I better get hip. I don't claim to know all the details, but here is how I understand things. No matter how you say it, kin is kin!

Just remember, the generations stay together.  Your parent's siblings are your aunts and uncles.  Your grandparent's siblings are your grand-aunts and grand-uncles.  Your great-grandparent's siblings are your great-aunts and uncles.  And so on.

Cousins are generational too.  If you share grandparents, then you are 1st cousins.  If you share great-grandparents, then you are 2nd cousins.  If you share great, great-grandparents, then you are 3rd cousins.  And so on.

Here is my "Cousin" Chart.  Click for a larger view.

Here is my "Next of Kin" Chart.