Third Cousins: Our Guide on What You Need To Know

Cindy Ellis - November 7, 2022

Identifying and understanding what a third cousin is in relation to you can be confusing, especially when you start tracing your family tree. This article will help you understand more about your third cousins, how you can trace this relation on a family tree, and other vital information about the third cousin family relation.

We also give you information on tracking down your third cousins should you want to locate or reconnect with these individuals.

What Is a Third Cousin?

The concept of third cousins can be confusing to many. Simply put, a third cousin is a person who you share your great-great-grandparents with. This is different from first-cousin relationships, in which you share a common set of grandparents with your cousin, and second-cousin relationships, in which you share a common set of great-grandparents.

An easy pattern to remember for identifying your cousins is counting back the number of generations until you reach the shared set of grandparents you and your cousin both have, and then subtracting one from that number.

Are Third Cousins Considered Close Family?

While some families are very close and have lots of contact with each other, third cousins included, some families don’t have the same culture. So your third cousins may or may not be considered close family, but it is very common for people not to have as much interaction with their third cousins.

After all, sharing a common set of great-great-grandparents leaves a lot of room for individuals to spread out into different areas of the world. You might not even know your third cousins (we tell you how to start researching their whereabouts below).

That being said, third cousins are not technically considered distant relatives. This means that there is likely to be enough shared DNA that the family relationship matters—the more distant the family relationship, the less likely there is to be a large amount of shared DNA.

Do Third Cousins Share DNA?

Third cousins do share DNA, but the amount shared is not as much as there would be with first or second cousins, siblings, or parents. Third cousins will have a range of similar DNA to you from 0.3 percent to 2.0 percent, with an average of 0.78 percent shared, according to genetic testing company 23andMe.

What Is a ‘Once-Removed’ Third Cousin?

The concept of a cousin being ‘once-removed’ is another confusing one for many people who start to look into their family trees. You can understand this as cousins who are in the same generation as you are considered first, second, or third cousins, as applicable. However, cousins who are a generation older or younger than you, meaning they were born a generation before or after, are considered once-removed; they are still your third cousin, but their generation is ‘once-removed’ from your own.

How to Find Your Third Cousins

There are many reasons for wanting to find your third cousins or hoping to reconnect with these individuals if you’ve lost touch. Below, we give the four best search methods to start with when you are looking for your third cousins.

When trying to make contact with your third cousins, you should keep in mind that some people may not want to be reached. If you’ve lost touch with your third cousins or if you were never really close to begin with, you should approach the individuals in question cautiously and state your intentions clearly (i.e., getting to know them to form a relationship or wanting their information to add to your family tree).

Don’t push too hard if your third cousin declines to meet, and never resort to stalking or harassing the individual with any of the information you learn about them using the methods below.

1)   People Finder Tools

People finder tools are one of the best ways to locate your third cousins, no matter where they are. Use a tool like this one on Information.com and input the name of your third cousin or the name of the family member you know is closest to them. Once the search results are returned, you can gather information about the third cousin directly (the search results will typically list their phone number, email, and social media information), or you can look through the names of friends, relatives, and known associates to that individual to find further information about your third cousin.

After collecting information with the people search, you can turn to the internet and social media to give you even more information and insight into who your third cousins are and the best way to contact them.

2)   Social Media Searches

Social media searches are another convenient way to locate your third cousins if you know their names and locations. Head to a social media website such as Facebook, Instagram, or even LinkedIn and input the person’s name. Review the profiles that get returned and see if any of them have mutual connections or friends with you or your known family members—this will help you narrow down any kind of familial relation.

Keep in mind that your third cousins will most likely need their profiles to be set as public for you to view this information about them easily; you may also need a profile on the social media website in question to search effectively.

3)   Mutual Friends and Family

Speaking with friends and distant family members that can put you in contact with your third cousins is a great way to locate these individuals. However, this method depends on your third cousins being fairly close and your family not being too diverse and spread out. It can be hard to get in contact with third cousins when your family has settled in all parts of the globe and does not have a very close family culture.

Regardless, start speaking with your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, if possible, to begin your search for your third cousins.

4)   Genealogical Researchers

A genealogical researcher might be a good investment if you want to track down your third cousins and learn more about your family tree. You can start this method by purchasing a DNA kit from a popular website such as ancestry.com or contacting a local genealogical researcher.

Online kits are often more convenient and return quicker results, especially if your family is spread out across the globe. Still, in-person genealogical help can be more reliable when your family is in the same general location. It may also be more thorough, as the manual act of tracking down records, interpreting results, and accessing local information is easier when performed by an in-person genealogist.

Tracking Down Your Family Tree

Tracking down your family tree can be a time-consuming but gratifying task. Whether you want to find your third cousins, discover more information about your family’s history, or simply get a sense of your family heritage, there’s no better way than utilizing these modern research tools to connect with long-lost relatives and understand your family’s history.

And, now that you know what relation your third cousins are to you, you have a great starting point for potentially tracking down these individuals and making lasting familial connections.