To answer the age old question in genealogy, "Just what the heck is a second cousin twice removed?", I have put together this chart and, as you will see, it's quite simple.

For a true "relationship" to exist, there must be an ancestor who is common to both individuals. If you examine the chart below, for example, the Common Ancestor is box 1 on the horizontal scale as well as box 1 on the vertical scale.

Let us suppose that you have a great grandson of that common ancestor, as seen in box 4 of the horizontal scale, and you want to know that great grandson's relationship to a great-great-great granddaughter, who may be seen in box 6 on the vertical scale.

If you follow box 4 down to where it meets line six, it tells you the relationship - they are second cousins twice removed!

Told you is was simple - Dave Faithfull.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	Common Ancestor	Son or Daughter	Grandson or Daughter	Great Grandson or Daughter	2nd Great Grandson or Daughter	3rd Great Grandson or Daughter	4th Great Grandson or Daughter	5th Great Grandson or Daughter
2	Son or Daughter	Siblings (Brother or Sister)	Nephew or Niece	Grand Nephew or Niece	Great Grand Nephew or Niece	2nd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	3rd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	4th Great Grand Nephew or Niece
3	Grandson or Daughter	Nephew or Niece	First Cousin	First Cousin Once Removed	First Cousin Twice Removed	First Cousin Three Times Removed	First Cousin Four Times Removed	First Cousin Five Times Removed
4	Great Grandson or Daughter	Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin	Second Cousin Once Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed	Second Cousin Three Times Removed	Second Cousin Four Times Removed
5	2nd Great Grandson or Daughter	Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Twice Removed	Second Cousin Once Removed	Third Cousin	Third Cousin Once Removed	Third Cousin Twice Removed	Third Cousin Three Times Removed
6	3rd Great Grandson or Daughter	2nd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Three Times Removed	Second Cousin Twice Removed	Third Cousin Once Removed	Fourth Cousin	Fourth Cousin Once Removed	Fourth Cousin Twice Removed
7	4th Great Grandson or Daughter	3rd Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Four Times Removed	Second Cousin Three Times Removed	Third Cousin Twice Removed	Fourth Cousin Once Removed	Fifth Cousin	Fifth Cousin Once Removed
8	Fifth Great Grandson or Daughter	4th Great Grand Nephew or Niece	First Cousin Five Times Removed	Second Cousin Four Times Removed	Third Cousin Three Times Removed	Fourth Cousin Twice Removed	Fifth Cousin Once Removed	Sixth Cousin

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