Q&A: Ancestor Counting

Subject: Q&A: Ancestor Counting 


QUESTION: 
   My great great grandmother had 2 more daughters.
   Would they be my great great great aunts?
   If so, would their children be my first cousins
   4 times removed? (which is fourth cousins??)
   asked by 

ANSWER:


          ______ Great Great Grandmother__                
Common ancestor
         |                                |
 Great Grandparent                 /---Daughter           
Siblings
       |        Great Great Aunt_/        |
 Grandparent       /               /-Grandchildren        First 
Cousins
    |            / First Cousin _/        |
 Parent        /   Twice Removed   Great Grandchildren    
Second Cousins
    |        /   /                        |
 Brigitte _/___/              Great Great Grandchildren   Third 
Cousins
    |                                     |
 Child                   Great Great Great Grandchildren  
Fourth Cousins
  
 Prepare a simple tree showing the steps from the beginning 
person (Brigitte) up to the common ancestor and back down to 
the second person in the question (GGGrandmother's daughters 
and their children).
Note relationship in a third column the common ancestor, the 
children on down to the person in question.  In this case the 
Daughter would be Bridgitte's GGrandparent's Sister, her 
Grandparents Aunt, her Parent's Great Aunt and her GGAunt.  The 
GGAunt's child would be her Grandparent's First Cousin and 
since she is two generations away from the common level she and 
the children would be her First Cousins Twice Removed.
  The term 'Twice Removed' refers to the fact that there are
two more generations down one side of the tree from the level 
where they are common.  In this case Brigitte is two 
generations lower than the First Cousin level.
  
   .... (which is Fourth Cousin????) ....
  
 Brigitte's Child would be Fourth Cousin to the other 
descendants as shown.