Family Relationship Calculator
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Generations from each person to the same ancestor → cousin degree and removal label.
Generations to shared ancestor
Relationship
2nd cousin
Your closest shared ancestor is 3 generation(s) up for the nearer person — 2nd cousin.
- Person A generations
- 3
- Person B generations
- 3
Related calculators
Cousin degree and removal
Genealogists describe how two people relate by counting generations up to their most recent common ancestor (MRCA). Each step up is one generation: parent = 1, grandparent = 2, great-grandparent = 3, and so on.
When both people are the same number of generations from the MRCA, they are nth cousins where n = generations minus one (same grandparent → 1st cousins; same great-grandparent → 2nd cousins). When the counts differ, add "once removed," "twice removed," etc. for each extra generation on one side.
Example: both 3 generations from a shared great-grandparent → 2nd cousins. Person A is 2 generations up (grandparent level) and Person B is 3 → 1st cousin once removed. Step-siblings, in-laws, and half-relations need family context this chart does not capture.
Common questions
What does "generations to shared ancestor" mean?
Count upward from each person to the same ancestor: 1 = parent, 2 = grandparent, 3 = great-grandparent. Both people must share that exact ancestor.
Does this cover in-laws or step-family?
No. This tool only handles blood-line cousin math from a shared ancestor. In-law and step labels depend on marriage and household structure, not generation counts alone.
How is this different from the generation calculator?
Generation calculator maps a birth year to a social cohort (Gen Z, Millennial, etc.). This tool labels kinship between two people from genealogy generation counts.