{"id":3347,"date":"2026-08-05T12:28:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T12:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/?p=3347"},"modified":"2026-08-05T12:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T12:53:15","slug":"english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-833\" data-path-to-node=\"6\"><span data-path-to-node=\"6,0\">Describing family relationships in English can sometimes feel confusing\u2014especially when moving beyond immediate family into extended relatives, in-laws, half-siblings, and &#8220;removed&#8221; cousins<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"6,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-834\" data-path-to-node=\"7\"><span data-path-to-node=\"7,0\">Unlike languages that have unique, distinct words for every specific relative (such as separate words for maternal vs. paternal uncles), English relies on a structured set of prefixes, modifiers, and generational rules<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"7,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-835\" data-path-to-node=\"8\"><span data-path-to-node=\"8,0\">This complete guide breaks down every English family relationship term, explaining immediate family, extended relatives, step- and half-relations, in-laws, and the exact math behind cousin generations<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"8,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"9\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9,0\"><i data-path-to-node=\"9,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Note: This guide expands upon the vocabulary breakdowns in the <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/question\/family-tree-terms-1692037428\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQvw0\">English Forward Family Tree Terms Discussion<\/a> and <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/question\/family-member-terms-1692041427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQwA0\">Family Member Terms Guide<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-836\" data-path-to-node=\"9,1\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"11\">1. Immediate Family Terms<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\">Immediate family refers to your closest direct blood or legal relatives:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"13\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"13,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Parents:<\/b> Mother (mom\/mum), Father (dad)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"13,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Siblings:<\/b> Brother, Sister<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"13,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Children:<\/b> Son, Daughter<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"13,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Spouse:<\/b> Husband, Wife, Partner<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"15\">2. Extended Family: Uncles, Aunts, Nephews &amp; Nieces<\/h2>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-837\" data-path-to-node=\"16\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0\">When describing your parents&#8217; siblings or your siblings&#8217; children, English uses four primary terms<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,2\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"17\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-838\" data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Uncle:<\/b> The brother of your mother or father (or the husband of your aunt)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,0,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-839\" data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Aunt:<\/b> The sister of your mother or father (or the wife of your uncle)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,1,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Nephew:<\/b> The son of your brother or sister.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"17,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Niece:<\/b> The daughter of your brother or sister.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"18\">Great- and Grand- Relatives<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"19\">When moving up or down additional generations, add <b data-path-to-node=\"19\" data-index-in-node=\"51\">&#8220;great-&#8220;<\/b> or <b data-path-to-node=\"19\" data-index-in-node=\"63\">&#8220;grand-&#8220;<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"20\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Grandparents:<\/b> Grandmother (mother&#8217;s\/father&#8217;s mother), Grandfather (mother&#8217;s\/father&#8217;s father).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Great-Grandparents:<\/b> Your grandparent\u2019s parent.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-840\" data-path-to-node=\"20,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"20,2,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,2,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Granduncle \/ Great-Uncle:<\/b> The brother of your grandparent<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"20,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-841\" data-path-to-node=\"20,3,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"20,3,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Grandaunt \/ Great-Aunt:<\/b> The sister of your grandparent<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"20,3,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,4,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,4,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Grandnephew \/ Great-Nephew:<\/b> The son of your nephew or niece.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"20,5,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"20,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Grandniece \/ Great-Niece:<\/b> The daughter of your nephew or niece.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"22\">3. Demystifying Cousin Relationships: First, Second &amp; &#8220;Removed&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"23\">The word <b data-path-to-node=\"23\" data-index-in-node=\"9\">cousin<\/b> causes the most confusion in English. Here is how to calculate exact cousin relationships:<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block ng-tns-c3867939713-544 ng-animate-disabled ng-trigger ng-trigger-codeBlockRevealAnimation\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQhtANahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQxw0\">\n<div class=\"formatted-code-block-internal-container ng-tns-c3867939713-544\">\n<div class=\"animated-opacity ng-tns-c3867939713-544\">\n<pre class=\"ng-tns-c3867939713-544\"><code class=\"code-container formatted ng-tns-c3867939713-544 no-decoration-radius\" role=\"text\" data-test-id=\"code-content\">                      Great-Grandparents\r\n                              \u2502\r\n               \u250c\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2534\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2510\r\n            Grandparent                  Great-Uncle\/Aunt\r\n               \u2502                             \u2502\r\n        \u250c\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2534\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2510               \u250c\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2534\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2500\u2510\r\n      Parent        Uncle\/Aunt      1st Cousin    1st Cousin 1x Removed\r\n        \u2502                             \u2502\r\n       YOU                         1st Cousin\r\n                                      \u2502\r\n                                   2nd Cousin\r\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"25\">First Cousins vs. Second Cousins<\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"26\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-842\" data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">First Cousin:<\/b> Shares a set of <b data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"30\">grandparents<\/b> with you (your aunt or uncle&#8217;s child)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"26,0,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Second Cousin:<\/b> Shares a set of <b data-path-to-node=\"26,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"31\">great-grandparents<\/b> with you (the child of your parent&#8217;s first cousin).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"26,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Third Cousin:<\/b> Shares a set of <b data-path-to-node=\"26,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"30\">great-great-grandparents<\/b> with you.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"27\">What Does &#8220;Removed&#8221; Mean?<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"28\">The term <b data-path-to-node=\"28\" data-index-in-node=\"9\">&#8220;removed&#8221;<\/b> indicates a difference in <b data-path-to-node=\"28\" data-index-in-node=\"45\">generations<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"29\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"29,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"29,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Once Removed (1x Removed):<\/b> A difference of <b data-path-to-node=\"29,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"43\">one generation<\/b> (e.g., your first cousin&#8217;s child is your <i data-path-to-node=\"29,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"99\">first cousin once removed<\/i>).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"29,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"29,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Twice Removed (2x Removed):<\/b> A difference of <b data-path-to-node=\"29,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"44\">two generations<\/b> (e.g., your first cousin&#8217;s grandchild is your <i data-path-to-node=\"29,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"106\">first cousin twice removed<\/i>).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"30\">\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-843\" data-path-to-node=\"30,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"30,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"30,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Quick Example:<\/b> Your mother\u2019s first cousin is your <b data-path-to-node=\"30,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"50\">first cousin once removed<\/b> (because they are one generation above you)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"30,0,2\">. Their child is your <b data-path-to-node=\"30,0,2\" data-index-in-node=\"22\">second cousin<\/b> (same generation)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"30,0,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"32\">4. In-Laws, Step-Relatives &amp; Half-Relatives<\/h2>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"33\">In-Laws (Relationships by Marriage)<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"34\">When you marry, your spouse\u2019s family members become your <b data-path-to-node=\"34\" data-index-in-node=\"57\">in-laws<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"35\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"35,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"35,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Mother-in-law \/ Father-in-law:<\/b> Your spouse&#8217;s mother or father.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"35,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"35,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Brother-in-law:<\/b> Your spouse&#8217;s brother OR your sister&#8217;s husband.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"35,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"35,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Sister-in-law:<\/b> Your spouse&#8217;s sister OR your brother&#8217;s wife.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"35,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"35,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Son-in-law \/ Daughter-in-law:<\/b> The husband or wife of your child.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"36\">Step-Relatives (Remarriage without Shared Blood)<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"37\">When a parent remarries, their new spouse and children become <b data-path-to-node=\"37\" data-index-in-node=\"62\">step-relatives<\/b>:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"38\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"38,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"38,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Stepparent:<\/b> Stepmother, Stepfather.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"38,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"38,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Stepsibling:<\/b> Stepsister, Stepbrother (children of your stepparent from a previous relationship; no blood relation).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"39\">Half-Relatives (Shared Single Biological Parent)<\/h3>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"40\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"40,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"40,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Half-brother \/ Half-sister:<\/b> A sibling with whom you share <b data-path-to-node=\"40,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"58\">one biological parent<\/b> (either the same mother or the same father).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"42\">Summary Reference Table<\/h2>\n<div class=\"horizontal-scroll-wrapper\">\n<table data-path-to-node=\"43\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Relationship<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>English Term<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Explanation \/ Example<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,1,0,0\">Parent&#8217;s Brother<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"43,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Uncle<\/b><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-844\" data-path-to-node=\"43,1,1,1\">\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-845\" data-path-to-node=\"43,1,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"43,1,2,0,0\">Your father&#8217;s or mother&#8217;s brother<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"43,1,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,2,0,0\">Parent&#8217;s Sister<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"43,2,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,2,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Aunt<\/b><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-846\" data-path-to-node=\"43,2,1,1\">\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-847\" data-path-to-node=\"43,2,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"43,2,2,0,0\">Your father&#8217;s or mother&#8217;s sister<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"43,2,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,3,0,0\">Sibling&#8217;s Son<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,3,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,3,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Nephew<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,3,2,0\">Your brother&#8217;s or sister&#8217;s son.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,4,0,0\">Sibling&#8217;s Daughter<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,4,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,4,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Niece<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,4,2,0\">Your brother&#8217;s or sister&#8217;s daughter.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,5,0,0\">Aunt\/Uncle&#8217;s Child<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"43,5,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,5,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">First Cousin<\/b><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-848\" data-path-to-node=\"43,5,1,1\">\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-849\" data-path-to-node=\"43,5,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"43,5,2,0,0\">Shares grandparents with you<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"43,5,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,6,0,0\">Parent&#8217;s First Cousin<\/span><\/td>\n<td>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"43,6,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,6,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">First Cousin Once Removed<\/b><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-850\" data-path-to-node=\"43,6,1,1\">\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-851\" data-path-to-node=\"43,6,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"43,6,2,0,0\">One generation above you<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"43,6,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,7,0,0\">Spouse&#8217;s Sister<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,7,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,7,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Sister-in-law<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,7,2,0\">Related through marriage.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,8,0,0\">Shared 1 Parent<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,8,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"43,8,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Half-sibling<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"43,8,2,0\">Shared biological mother or father.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-path-to-node=\"45\">Related Cluster Guides &amp; Next Steps<\/h2>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-852\" data-path-to-node=\"46\"><span data-path-to-node=\"46,0\">Understanding exact relationship terms makes describing family structures simple<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"46,2\">. Explore our related guides:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"47\">\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-853\" data-path-to-node=\"47,0,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"47,0,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"47,0,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Describing Unknown Terms:<\/b> Learn circumlocution strategies in <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/what-is-it-calle\u2026now-the-name-for\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ0w0\">What Is It Called in English?<\/a> <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"47,0,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-854\" data-path-to-node=\"47,1,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"47,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"47,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Paternal Relatives:<\/b> Learn how to differentiate your father&#8217;s older and younger brothers in <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/fathers-elder-yo\u2026-are-they-called\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ1Q0\">Father&#8217;s Elder &amp; Younger Brother Terms<\/a> <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"47,1,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-855\" data-path-to-node=\"47,2,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"47,2,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"47,2,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Spelling Rules:<\/b> Avoid common spelling pitfalls in <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/amateur-or-amatu\u2026rong-heres-which\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ1w0\">Amateur vs. Amature Spelling Guide<\/a> <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"47,2,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-856\" data-path-to-node=\"47,3,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"47,3,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"47,3,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Master Guide:<\/b> Return to our central portal on <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/essential-englis\u2026al-writing-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ2Q0\">Essential English Vocabulary, Relationship Terms &amp; Personal Writing<\/a> <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"47,3,0,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"48\">\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"48,0\">Have a Complex Family Tree Question?<\/h3>\n<p id=\"p-rc_c85c1486c341eb27-857\" data-path-to-node=\"48,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"48,1,0\">Trying to figure out what to call a distant relative or in-law? Ask the community on the original <a class=\"ng-star-inserted\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/question\/family-member-terms-1692041427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-hveid=\"0\" data-ved=\"0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwiz6oD0hYeWAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ2w0\">English Forward Family Member Terms Forum Thread<\/a> to get direct answers<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"48,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Describing family relationships in English can sometimes feel confusing\u2014especially when moving beyond immediate family into extended relatives, in-laws, half-siblings, and &#8220;removed&#8221; cousins. Unlike languages that &#8230; <a title=\"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/\" aria-label=\"More on English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[286,288,292,300,305],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-english","category-english-forward","category-grammar","category-skills","category-writing","infinite-scroll-item","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What&#039;s your mother&#039;s cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What&#039;s your mother&#039;s cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"English Forward\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1331\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ef\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ef\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ef\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/20ce4f2024b4149fe768c30342333c0a\"},\"headline\":\"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":741,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/11\\\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business English\",\"English Forward\",\"Grammar\",\"Skills\",\"Writing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/\",\"name\":\"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/11\\\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"What's your mother's cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/11\\\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/11\\\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1331,\"caption\":\"Business idea and progress concept\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"English Forward\",\"description\":\"Just another WordPress site\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"English Forward\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/10\\\/english_forward.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/10\\\/english_forward.png\",\"width\":184,\"height\":56,\"caption\":\"English Forward\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.englishforward.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/20ce4f2024b4149fe768c30342333c0a\",\"name\":\"ef\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"ef\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/159.65.134.245\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward","description":"What's your mother's cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward","og_description":"What's your mother's cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/","og_site_name":"English Forward","article_published_time":"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1331,"url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"ef","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"ef","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/"},"author":{"name":"ef","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/20ce4f2024b4149fe768c30342333c0a"},"headline":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide","datePublished":"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/"},"wordCount":741,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg","articleSection":["Business English","English Forward","Grammar","Skills","Writing"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/","url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/","name":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide - English Forward","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-05T12:28:56+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-05T12:53:15+00:00","description":"What's your mother's cousin called? Learn every English family relationship word from great-uncle to second cousin, twice removed.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/business-idea-and-progress-concept.jpg","width":2000,"height":1331,"caption":"Business idea and progress concept"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/english-family-tree-terms-complete-relationship-guide\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"English Family Tree Terms: Complete Relationship Guide"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/","name":"English Forward","description":"Just another WordPress site","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"English Forward","url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/english_forward.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/english_forward.png","width":184,"height":56,"caption":"English Forward"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/20ce4f2024b4149fe768c30342333c0a","name":"ef","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3db907878625c929fa9efe1ed5ee7e3f8883a62fc6f203cba5b9764b8d59e731?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"ef"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/159.65.134.245"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3347"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3360,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3347\/revisions\/3360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}