The term second cousin twice removed refers to second cousins who are two generations removed from each other. Specifically, a second cousin twice removed is either the grandchild of one's second cousin or the second cousin of one's grandparent.
To understand this relationship, it is important first to understand what a second cousin is. Second cousins share a common set of great-grandparents. Therefore, the grandchildren of two siblings are second cousins. A second cousin twice removed is two generations removed from a second cousin.
The term "removed" is used to describe the number of generations between two individuals in a family tree. In the case of a second cousin twice removed, the term "removed" indicates that the two individuals are two generations apart. Each "removal" represents a generation.
It is important to note that a second cousin twice removed is not the same as a first cousin three times removed, even though both relationships are two generations removed from a cousin. A first cousin three times removed is the great-grandchild of one's first cousin, while a second cousin twice removed is the grandchild of one's second cousin or the second cousin of one's grandparent.
See also
Explore more about family relationships
- What Does Once Removed Mean? Untangling Family Relationships on the MyHeritage Knowledge Base
- New Relationship Diagram on MyHeritage, from the MyHeritage Blog
- The Power of DNA in Unlocking Family Relationships on Legacy Family Tree Webinars