Cousins

What is a third cousin twice removed?

A third cousin twice removed is a third cousin from a different generation: your third cousin's grandchild, or your grandparent's third cousin.

The shared ancestors are great-great-grandparents to one of you and great-great-great-great-grandparents to the other: 4 generations down on one side, 6 on the other.

Two ways to be one

  • Your third cousin's grandchild is your third cousin twice removed.
  • Your grandparent's third cousin is also your third cousin twice removed.

How to work it out

  1. Find the ancestors you share and count the generations from them down to each of you: 4 and 6.
  2. The smaller number minus one gives the cousin degree: 4 minus 1 is 3, so "third".
  3. The difference between the two numbers is how many times "removed": 6 minus 4 is 2, so "twice removed".
The third cousin twice removed square is marked. Rows are you, columns your relative.
You are the ancestor's…ChildGrandchildGreat-grandchild2x great-grandchild3x great-grandchild4x great-grandchild
ChildSiblingNiece or nephewGrandniece or grandnephewGreat-grandniece or nephewGreat-great-grandniece or nephewGreat-great-great-grandniece or nephew
GrandchildAunt or uncleFirst cousinFirst cousin once removedFirst cousin twice removedFirst cousin three times removedFirst cousin four times removed
Great-grandchildGreat-aunt or uncleFirst cousin once removedSecond cousinSecond cousin once removedSecond cousin twice removedSecond cousin three times removed
2x great-grandchildGreat-great-aunt or uncleFirst cousin twice removedSecond cousin once removedThird cousinThird cousin once removedThird cousin twice removed
3x great-grandchildGreat-great-great-aunt or uncleFirst cousin three times removedSecond cousin twice removedThird cousin once removedFourth cousinFourth cousin once removed
4x great-grandchildGreat-great-great-great-aunt or uncleFirst cousin four times removedSecond cousin three times removedThird cousin twice removedFourth cousin once removedFifth cousin

Check it in the cousin calculator

Cousin calculator