What is a fourth cousin twice removed?
A fourth cousin twice removed is a fourth cousin from a different generation: your fourth cousin's grandchild, or your grandparent's fourth cousin.
The shared ancestors are great-great-great-grandparents to one of you and great-great-great-great-great-grandparents to the other: 5 generations down on one side, 7 on the other.
Two ways to be one
- Your fourth cousin's grandchild is your fourth cousin twice removed.
- Your grandparent's fourth cousin is also your fourth cousin twice removed.
How to work it out
- Find the ancestors you share and count the generations from them down to each of you: 5 and 7.
- The smaller number minus one gives the cousin degree: 5 minus 1 is 4, so "fourth".
- The difference between the two numbers is how many times "removed": 7 minus 5 is 2, so "twice removed".