Family Tree Explained: First, Second Cousins and What “Once Removed” Really Means

🚀 Subscribe to the newsletter: https://sketchplanations.substack.com... 📚 Buy the book: https://sketchplanations.com/big-idea... 🖼️ Get a print: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/177... Do you actually know who your second cousins are — or what second cousin once removed even means? In this episode of Sketchplanations the Podcast, we explain the family tree clearly and visually, breaking down: • First and second cousins explained • What “once removed” and “twice removed” actually mean • How cousin relationships work across generations • Why family trees are more confusing than we expect Using a hand-drawn family tree chart, we walk through the logic step by step so you can finally understand how cousins are related — without needing a genealogy degree. This episode is especially helpful around the festive season, when family gatherings often trigger the classic question: “So… how are we related?” Along the way, we share personal anecdotes, explore cultural differences in family trees (including Chinese family tree naming and Icelandic surnames), and discuss famous shared ancestors — from the Mayflower to fictional families like The Lord of the Rings. Listeners are strongly encouraged to follow along with the sketch on Sketchplanations.com, which makes the explanation far easier to visualise and apply to your own family: https://sketchplanations.com/second-c... Here are the Chinese family tree names mentioned:    • The Complicated Chinese Family Tree   And here's the excellent CGP Grey explaining Family Trees:    • You Don't Know What "Once Removed" Means   Episode Summary / Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Sketchplanations 00:47 Understanding family relations 02:13 First and second cousins explained 06:06 What “once removed” and “twice removed” mean 11:48 Cultural perspectives on family trees 14:57 Famous families and shared ancestors 15:08 The Mayflower ancestor story 15:55 Why family trees get complicated 16:43 The importance of extended family connections 18:01 Tracing family history 21:07 Unique family names and their origins 22:28 Surname origins and commonality 25:58 Gender-neutral family terms 27:07 Concluding thoughts Prints of this sketch: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/177... All music on this podcast series is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli.