What Is A Seventh Cousin? (Explained)

Welcome to the intriguing world of family ties as we venture into the realm of 7th cousins.

You’re probably familiar with terms like first, second, third, fourth, and fifth cousins. However, what might not be commonly understood is that the concept of ‘cousinhood’ extends indefinitely across generations. In theory, for every generation that exists, there’s a corresponding cousin relationship that can be identified.

These distant relatives, often elusive yet integral to the mosaic of our family tapestry, share a lineage dating back to our five-times-great-grandparents.

Together, we’ll navigate the fascinating web of genealogy, explore the likelihood of sharing DNA, and seek ways to identify these distant kin.

Whether you’re a seasoned family historian or a curious novice, this exploration into the bond between 7th cousins promises to shed light on the complexities of our ancestry and redefine your understanding of ‘family’.

Let’s set sail on this genealogical adventure!

Understanding The Concept of Seventh Cousins

The term “7th cousin” designates a relative with whom you share the same great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents, but not the same 6th great-grandparents, 5th great-grandparents, 4th great-grandparents, great-great-grandparents, great-grandparents, or grandparents.

To put it differently, your parents are 5th cousins, your grandparents are 6th cousins, and your great-grandparents are 7th cousins, connected through their own great-great-great-great-great-grandparents who were siblings.

The “7th” in 7th cousin signifies the seven generations that separate you from your common ancestors.

Thus, when you say “7th cousin,” it indicates you have a set of great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents in common, but you are seven generations removed from those shared ancestors.

‘Once Removed’ and ‘Twice Removed’ in the Context of 7th Cousins

In genealogy, the terms “once removed” and “twice removed” represent the generational distance between two relatives who are not of the same generation. When applied to 7th cousins:

1. If your 7th cousin is “once removed,” it means there’s a one-generation gap between you and your cousin. This could be the case if the person is either one generation above you (meaning they’re the child of your 7th cousin) or one generation below you (they are the 7th cousin of your parent).
   
2. If your 7th cousin is “twice removed,” it implies a two-generation difference. The person could be two generations above you (meaning they’re the grandchild of your 7th cousin) or two generations below you (they are the 7th cousin of your grandparent).

The “removed” term hence specifies the number of generations apart from the primary cousin level, whether higher or lower in the family tree.

How Many Degrees of Separation Between 7th Cousins

In genealogy, the “degrees of separation” between two people typically refers to the number of steps or individuals linking them in the family tree.

The “degrees of separation” for 7th cousins are 16.

Here’s how it breaks down:

To trace your connection to a 7th cousin, you go up 8 generations to your shared 6th great-grandparents, which takes 8 steps.

You then descend the same 8 generations back down to your 7th cousin.

When you add these steps together, you have a total of 16.

This means you and your 7th cousin are 16 degrees apart on your family tree.

How Many 7th Cousins Do I Have?

It may be surprising to consider, but we are all more interconnected than we may think. When it comes to understanding how many 7th cousins you might have, it’s important to realize the exponential nature of ancestry.

If we trace back through your family tree, we see that the number of ancestors (and thus potential for descendants) doubles each generation. This growth leads to an incredibly large extended family network.

While the specific number can vary based on factors like family size, geographical location, and historical population size, it’s estimated that the average person could have as many as 120,000 seventh cousins.

It’s entirely possible for some people to have even more than this, especially if their ancestors had large families. On the other hand, almost everyone is likely to have at least 100,000 seventh cousins.

These figures underline the fact that we are all more genetically linked to each other than we might ordinarily assume. The global human family is indeed a vast and interconnected network.

Are 7th Cousins Blood Related?

Indeed, while we do share genetic material with our 7th cousins, it’s a minuscule amount and often might not be detectable.

In human genetic relationships, we share about 50% of our DNA with our parents and siblings, 25% with our grandparents and aunts/uncles, 12.5% with our first cousins, and so forth. The amount of shared DNA roughly halves with each step of relation. By the time you get to 7th cousins, the percentage is very very small.

On average, you could potentially have around 120,000 seventh cousins. However, due to the way DNA is passed down through generations, there is only about a 1.1% chance that you share a detectable amount of DNA with any specific 7th cousin.

This means that, out of this vast number of seventh cousins, only approximately 1320 would likely show a familial genetic link on a DNA test. The rest would not display any shared DNA segments large enough to indicate a familial relationship.

The randomness of genetic inheritance means that most of our DNA connections with distant relatives are lost over the generations.

Also, keep in mind that these estimates can vary based on a variety of factors, including population, family size, and more.

In genealogy, the terms close, extended, and distant are used to describe the degrees of relation among family members.

1. Close Relatives: These are your immediate family members and the ones with whom you share a significant portion of your genetic makeup. It includes your parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren.
2. Extended Relatives: These are relatives beyond your immediate circle but still share a noticeable amount of genetic material with you. It includes aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins, and grandparents.
3. Distant Relatives: These are family members with whom you share a smaller amount of genetic material due to the number of generations that separate you. It starts from second cousins and goes further to include third cousins, fourth cousins, and so on. The term is also used to refer to ‘removed’ relatives – for example, a cousin ‘once removed’ would be the child of your first cousin.

These distinctions help genealogists understand and communicate the familial relationship and also have implications for the potential amount of shared DNA between relatives.

7th cousins would be classed as “distant relations”.

Other Types of Seventh Cousins

Seventh cousins can also be referred to by other names that indicate some variation in their biological connection. Below are some variations of the term “Seventh cousins”.

Seventh Cousin Once Removed

A seventh cousin once removed refers to a relationship where one person is a seventh cousin of the other person’s ancestor or descendant. To simplify, imagine you have a seventh cousin, who is the same age as you and shares the same great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents.

If that cousin had a child, you would be the “seventh cousin once removed” of that child. Conversely, if your great-great-great-great-great-great grandparent had a sibling who also had descendants, your seventh cousin once removed could also be a person from that sibling’s line, but one generation above or below you.

Seventh Cousin Twice Removed

A seventh cousin twice removed, then, is similar to the concept above but involves a difference of two generations. Let’s take your seventh cousin’s grandchild. You would be the “seventh cousin twice removed” of that grandchild because you are two generations apart.

Alternatively, this term could also refer to the grandchild of a person who is your seventh cousin. In summary, “twice removed” indicates a two-generation difference in your family tree.

Half Seventh Cousin

A half seventh cousin occurs when you share only one common ancestor couple instead of two at the seventh great-grandparent level. Imagine two families; in the first, a woman had a child and, in the second, the same woman had a child with a different partner.

Those children’s descendants, seven generations later, would be half seventh cousins.

They are “half” cousins because they share one ancestor (the woman in the example) but not a full set of ancestral couples at that generational level.

Famous Seventh Cousins

Did you know that Humphrey Bogart and Princess Diana were seventh cousins!
I love how random these distant family connections are! It throws up some unusual parings!

How To Find Your 7th Cousins – A Short Guide to Locating Your Distant Relatives

Finding your 7th cousins can be a challenging yet rewarding journey through your family’s history. Here’s a brief guide on how to begin:

1. Start with What You Know: Compile as much information as you can about your family tree. Gather names, birth dates, and locations from family members, vital records, or family documents. This will provide a solid starting point.

2. Use Genealogical Databases: Websites like Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FamilySearch have extensive databases and can help build out your family tree. They offer historical records and user-created family trees which may connect with your lineage.

3. DNA Testing: Consider taking a DNA test from companies like AncestryDNA or 23andMe. These tests often connect you to a database of others who have taken the test and share some amount of DNA with you, potentially including distant cousins. Note that 9th cousins may not be reliably identified through shared DNA due to the minute amount of shared DNA.

Autosomal DNA testing is a popular tool for genealogy. This type of test looks at the 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes that you inherited from both your parents. Because these autosomes are a mix of both parents’ DNA, they can trace lineage from both sides of your family, making it a useful tool for connecting with a broad range of relatives.

To take an autosomal DNA test, you’ll typically need to do the following:

Choose a Testing Company: There are several companies that offer autosomal DNA testing services, such as AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage DNA, and FamilyTreeDNA. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, so you might want to do a bit of research to decide which is best for your needs.

Purchase a Test Kit: Once you’ve chosen a company, you can order a test kit from their website. The kit will include everything you need to collect a DNA sample at home.

Collect and Submit Your DNA Sample: Most kits require either a saliva sample or a cheek swab. After you’ve collected your sample, you’ll package it up as instructed and mail it back to the company.

Wait for Results: The company will extract and analyze your DNA from the sample you sent. This process can take several weeks. Once your results are ready, you’ll be able to view them online. The company’s website will usually provide a variety of tools for exploring your genetic ancestry and connecting with relatives who have also taken the test.

Remember that while these tests can provide fascinating insights into your ancestry, they should be taken with a grain of salt. The science of genetic genealogy is still evolving, and results should be considered as one piece of the larger puzzle of your family history.

4. Join Genealogical Societies: Local, regional, and nationality-based genealogical societies often have resources and connections that can help you in your search.

5. Hire a Professional: If your search becomes too daunting or you hit a dead-end, consider hiring a professional genealogist. They have the expertise and resources to uncover connections that may be hard to find on your own.

Remember, patience and persistence are key. Happy hunting!

Quick Cousin Relation Reference List

See how you are related to your cousins

• first cousins share grandparents
• second cousins share great-grandparents
• third cousins share great-great grandparents (2 greats)
• fourth cousins share great-great-great grandparents (3 greats)
• fifth cousins share great-great-great-great-great grandparents (4 greats)
• sixth cousins share great-great-great-great-great grandparents (5 greats)
• seventh cousins share great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (6 greats)
• eighth cousins share great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (7 greats)
• ninth cousins share great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (8 greats)
• tenth cousins share great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (9 greats)

Other Types Of Cousins In Your Family Tree

Second Cousins
Third Cousins
Fourth Cousins
Fifth Cousins
Sixth Cousins
Seventh Cousins
Eighth Cousins
Ninth Cousins
Great Cousins