What is a first cousin three times removed?
A first cousin three times removed is a first cousin from a different generation: your first cousin's great-grandchild, or your great-grandparent's first cousin.
The shared ancestors are grandparents to one of you and great-great-great-grandparents to the other: 2 generations down on one side, 5 on the other.
Two ways to be one
- Your first cousin's great-grandchild is your first cousin three times removed.
- Your great-grandparent's first cousin is also your first cousin three times removed.
How to work it out
- Find the ancestors you share and count the generations from them down to each of you: 2 and 5.
- The smaller number minus one gives the cousin degree: 2 minus 1 is 1, so "first".
- The difference between the two numbers is how many times "removed": 5 minus 2 is 3, so "three times removed".