Second cousin

[Runwithit]

Hi there,

I have a predicted second cousin relationship on here (which can range from 1st cousins twice removed to many other things), we share 312 CMs, my cousin is 78 years old and I'm 31, so there is 47 years between us, because of this I believe we are more likely to be 1st cousins twice removed,

What do you think? Is the age gap a good indicator of 2x removed?

[John McCoy]

Don't take anything for granted. You need to contact the match and compare what each of you knows about your respective family stories. The ranges of several possible relationships overlap, as you know, so such things as "half great-aunt" and "half first cousin once removed" can't be ruled out at this point.

It is tempting, sometimes, to go with the probabilities, when one scenario is a bit more likely than another. But for genealogy that you expect to share with your relatives and fellow genealogists, the evidence needs to be more persuasive.

It may be worth looking for other kits that match both of you, and testing known relatives to narrow the possibilities. Also, perhaps on GEDmatch, you can go into more detail about the matching segments to be sure each of them follows the expected path of inheritance (i.e., establishing triangulation groups).

[Runwithit]

Hi John,

Please can you explain what you mean about the inherited segments and triangulation?