Do you know your distant cousins (2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc)? (American, find)

[xboxmas]

I know a handful of my 2nd cousins(mom or dad's cousins children), although there are a lot I haven't met before. I'm not particular close with any of them, although I am friends on facebook with a few. Same goes for their parents (my parents cousins aka my cousins once removed).

I think I may have met a few 3rd cousins (Grandparents cousins grandchildren) at a family reunion but would never be able to pick them out in a crowd.

That's about as distant as it gets for me. How about you? I think it would be interesting to see if anybody keeps in touch with their distant cousins.

[SunGrins]

I know of them and met a few but can not claim to know them. The last family reunion was around 1992. Most of my first cousins left the home town, as I did. I actually attend my late wife's family reunions and 'know' some of her cousins better than my own. If I had to, I could maybe get hold of six cousins within 24 hours. It's getting worse... my daughter has only four cousins total and could possibly contact two. I do envy some closer-knit families.

[thinkalot]

I think for 2nd and farther out location means a lot. If your mother's cousin lives down the street I am sure you would know 2nd, 2nd once removed, etc.

[Eldemila]

I know my 3rd cousins, which are my 2nd cousins children. Otherwise, it stops with 2nd.


With DNA, as my friend has done, she now has cousins coming out of the woodworks. None she "knows" but she may learn more about some of these newly found cousins than I know about the cousins I've known all my life. She calls them her DNA Cousins.

[Chava61]

I know most of my 2nd cousins. Also I have a very close relationship with one 3rd cousin on my father's side.

[PA2UK]

I grew up with most of my 2nd cousins. The Italian side of my family was very tight because my Nan and her 6 siblings were very close.

[twnxn]

I know a few 2nd cousins (my father's 1st cousin) or my paternal grandfather's younger sibling's children.

I also know one of my father's 2nd cousin.

I am Taiwanese-American (US born) while both of my parents are from Taiwan.

Finally, thanks to DNA testing, I have been in communications with several 3rd and 4th cousins. This was from testing with 23andMe. They are my highest matches on my DNA Relatives list. We having matching DNA on several chromosomes, thus I believe they are legitimately 3rd and 4th cousins. Plus, they are from the same hometown in Taiwan where my father and father's side of the family is from. I am still not sure exactly who was our common ancestor. However, through some discussions and sharing some photos, it appears my paternal grandmother and one of my 3rd cousin's mother were cousins. It came up when I shared a photo of my paternal grandmother who was in a group photo at a wedding and incidentally she was sitting next my 3rd cousin's mother. I don't think without the DNA testing I would have known these people of found the connection.

[Tritone]

Yes, I know many.

Part of the fun of genealogy was finally figuring out how people are related me. I grew up around lots of people, some very close to me, who I knew were kin but didn't know exactly how they were related to me. After filling out my tree and connecting the dots, I came to find out that a lot of family that we are very close to and who I grew up with are distantly related to us: some third cousins my age, some very elderly relatives who I found out were first cousins three times removed, etc…

[Tritone]

Originally Posted by Eldemila

I know my 3rd cousins, which are my 2nd cousins children.

Not quite. Your second cousins children are your second cousins once removed.

[chiluvr1228]

My father was an only child and my mother abandoned us when were very young so I really have no cousins that I have met except briefly back in the late 70's when my mother and I got back in touch.