Re: I found a distant cousin

cosmic1 · ‎03-10-2010

@Imadickens wrote:
That's great! I found a some number cousin three times removed, whatever that means! I never did understand all those removed relatives! Seriously, I had a relative listed as great aunt of father in law of cousin 28 times removed! What?😳 Really?🙄 C'mon, get real!😉

That was always confusing to me as well. I finally looked it up and here the explanation:

1. You and the child of your parents siblings = first cousin because you are the same level (nbr of generations) from your common ancestors - the grandparents.

2. You and the children of your first cousin = first cousin, once removed. You are a generation separated from the children of your first cousin, hence the removed.

3. Your children and the children of your first cousin = 2nd cousin, because they are the same number of generations from the common ancestors.

I wasn't getting that number of generations part, but when I read that it makes more sense to me.

Hope this helps.

Lesa · ‎03-09-2010

Yesterday, on my Facebook newsfeed, I saw where 2 people became friends with my son. Now, that certainly wasn't anything unusual, but they both addressed him as Cousin (his name).

I surely don't know everybody in our families, but I do know that my son has an account on Ancestry ,so I'll have to check with him. I didn't recognize either of the names at all.

He did find on Ancestry that he's related to a couple famous people. It must be way way back in time.

And a little off topic, as I know it will never happen; I used to keep foster infants til they went to their adoptive parents. Sure would like to know how they're all doing.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I can not imagine taking your DNA and giving it to a company to match up and find people "related" to you. There are boatloads of folks I would NOT want to be related to. And to have them THINK I AM related to them. . . Yikes!!!!!

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Imadickens wrote:
That's great! I found a some number cousin three times removed, whatever that means! I never did understand all those removed relatives! Seriously, I had a relative listed as great aunt of father in law of cousin 28 times removed! What?😳 Really?🙄 C'mon, get real!😉
Does anyone know how you "remove" a cousin .... and why you would want to do that?

You aren't removing a cousin. That's the term of how someone is related to you. You can google what exactly the term means.

For example, my mom's sister has a child. That child is my first cousin. Then she has a child. Her child would be my first cousin once removed.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Sooner wrote:
I can not imagine taking your DNA and giving it to a company to match up and find people "related" to you. There are boatloads of folks I would NOT want to be related to. And to have them THINK I AM related to them. . . Yikes!!!!!

I have read where identical twins got their DNA tested and it came back different - so I think it is a hoax.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@151949 wrote:
@Sooner wrote:
I can not imagine taking your DNA and giving it to a company to match up and find people "related" to you. There are boatloads of folks I would NOT want to be related to. And to have them THINK I AM related to them. . . Yikes!!!!!
I have read where identical twins got their DNA tested and it came back different - so I think it is a hoax.

I theoretically have that option through 23andme but have no interest. The couple of people that show up that I know I'm related to, I was already aware of. The tons of others listed, 95% "Anonymous" are all 3rd-7th cousins. Just not interested in living "relatives" that far removed.

They don't really "match" people. You have your DNA tested and one of the results you can follow up if you choose to is a list of people whose DNA is very very similar to yours. It's up to you and the other party to determine what's what.

So many people don't understand DNA testing and what is possible and what isn't - and to some degree some companies target their advertising to that ignorance, so it's possible to read things into what "they say" that aren't accurate, which they will only explain to you AFTER you've tested.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Preds · ‎12-17-2012

I try to keep most of my cousins distant. Makes for better family relations that way.

Fate whispers to her, "You cannot withstand the storm." She whispers back, "I am the storm."

sktchy · ‎03-10-2010

@151949 wrote:
My DH also volunteers and goes out to find graves for find a grave - mows the grass and cleans the stones then photographs them and enters them when ever anyone writes to him and asks him to. Here in Pittsburgh you need to be half mountain goat to do this because all the cemeteries are on hillsides where they can't build anything. But - it gets us outside and getting some exercise, and doing something for someone. Heck, we spend a lot of time just driving around the tri state area looking for cemeteries.If we go past a cemetery anywhere in the city we have not had to visit we both shout - OMG - look - a cemetery. I am certain we have spent more time in catholic cemeteries than most Catholics around here. The Pittsburgh diocese has really good records on their websitt e and we use that a lot.

I am so glad you mentioned the hillside cemeteries - I thought it I was the only one that noticed. I was wondering if there was reason for that location - now I know.