Cousin Calculator

Calculating the relationship between two people is often a confusing issue. There are lots of tables and charts that try to alleviate this situation. For instance, you can read my article of "What Is Second Cousin Once Removed?" However, the terminology can be a bit confusing, and trying to mentally figure the relationships can be a bit taxing. After all, what is a third cousin four times removed? For the majority of us who wrestle with these relationships, there is a simple solution: use your computer!

There are a number of computerized "cousin calculator" programs available, including web-based tools as well as programs for Windows, MS-DOS, and Macintosh OS X. The only place I know of to find all of these in one place is iRoots.net.

The Internet Cousin Calculator runs right from your browser (assuming your browser can handle JavaScript). You can go to the iRoots.net web pages and calculate relationships directly while online. If you prefer, you can also download MS-DOS, Windows, and Macintosh OS X versions of the same program. By using one of the download versions, you can run the programs at any time without being connected to the Internet. Best of all, the programs are available free of charge. The same page on iRoots.net also has a manual chart that is attributed to the Genealogy Forum on CompuServe, a service that I used to manage.

To calculate your "cousinship" to someone else in your extended family, go to http://www.iroots.net/tools/cusncalc/.

Comments

[Karen]

I have found my grandfather in the 1900 census, living in the Seneca Wyandotte Nation. I would like to know where this is. I can't find a map for it. And why would they be living on an Indian Reservation? I don't think that side of my family had any Indian in them. Hope you can help. I just can't find any information on this.
Thank You
Karen

[Claire Bettag]

I would have expected that most genealogical databases have a built in "cousin calculation." Am I wrong? I use Reunion (on a MAC) and it has a wonderful feature by which you can instantly calculate the relationship between any two blood relatives in your database. It calculates cousins, for example, and identifies the common ancestor(s). No need for separate software to calculate cousins!

In a separate function you can identify one person as the "source" and the database will always identify the relationship of every other blood relative in the database to that person.

I've just assumed those were standard features in genealogical software.

Claire

[Mark]

Try this online calculator - it provides the basic functionality but also an option to create a tabular chart of relationships.
http://www.geocities.com/presuppositionalist/cousins.html

Also, you are free to add it to your website following the guidelines given on that page.

[joe]

wot relation am i to my great aunts sisters daughter?