CODING OF RELATIONSHIPS

There is a need for some comprehensive coding of human relationships to save time and space and to include more information than is usually provided. For example, the general term cousin gives no indication of the gender of that person. Coding would be especially useful in collecting, processing and indexing genealogical information. The following method is my own invention but has sufficient scope to cover most relationships with accuracy.

By definition, all relationships are two-way. The person who is researching his/her family or the person who is the subject of that research should be referred to as the nominated or root person (sometimes called the proband), as opposed to all other relatives who can be regarded as dependent or secondary. Some of the relationships stretch across generations while others are contemporary:-

Table 10 Relationships Between and Within Generations

Relationships Across Generations
1. Great-grandfather or Great-grandmother	and	Great-grandson or Great-granddaughter
2. Grandfather or Grandmother	and	Grandson or Granddaughter
3. Father or Mother	and	Son or Daughter
4. Uncle or Aunt	and	Nephew or Niece
5. Cousins once or twice (etc.) removed
Contemporary Relationships (i.e. within generations)
6. Identical Twins
7. Brother or Sister
8. Half Brother or Half Sister
9. First Cousins
10. Second Cousins

With numbers 1 to 4 it is obvious who is the nominated person and in which direction one is looking (backwards or forwards through the generations). The gender of the dependent person is also clear. With contemporary relatives numbers 7 and 8, the gender of the dependent person is again evident. In the case of identical twins (no. 6) the gender will be the same as the nominee and can be included in the code, i.e. B(IT) or S(IT).

For all types of cousins, however, i.e. numbers 5, 9 and 10, the dependent person's gender can not be determined from the general relationship, i.e. 'cousin', but can be included in the code with the following device: Cm and Cf. A further problem with 'removed' cousin relationships, is that there is no clue as to which cousin is the senior one in terms of generations, i.e. the nominee or the dependent one. To incorporate this into the code, my suggestion is to use a positive generation number if the nominee is the junior relative and a negative one if senior:

Figure 61 Coding for Removed Cousinships

Nominated Person	Symbol for Coefficient of Relationship [12]	Full Title for Relative (From Nominated Person's Perspective)	Code
J	RJG	First cousin (male) once removed (backwards)	Cm - 1
G	RGJ	First cousin (female) once removed (forwards)	Cf + 1

To avoid the use of long repeated prefixes such as great-great-great-great-grandfather a number will be used for distant relatives to specify how many greats are involved. For example, the above ancestor will have the code: 5GF, i.e. grandfather + 4 greats. Similarly, to indicate second and third cousins a numerical prefix will be used:- 2Cm, 3Cf etc.

The initial letters of each relationship have been used for the abbreviations. There is a clash between sister and son where Sr and Sn have to be used. However, for grandson, half sister and identical twin sister, S can be used in each case as there is not likely to be any confusion, i.e. GS, HS and S(IT). Using D for both daughter and double relationships may also cause confusion. Since there is likely to be conflict, use Dr for daughter and D for double relationships. For granddaughter and great-grandaughter GD and 2GD canbe used without ambiguity, With nephews and nieces Nm and Nf are used to specify gender.

All the common types of relationship are included in the codes. For any rarer types, it should be possible to devise an appropriate abbreviation, if required. Not included are: enhanced half sibs; double relatives from reciprocal cross-generation marriages ; non-reciprocal intergeneration doubles ; and multiple relationships.

The order in which the various elements of the code are placed is shown in the following section:

Coding Sequences

The code can contain up to 6 components arranged in the following order:

• Priority is given to whether or not it is a double relationship, i.e. D for double. For single relationships S is omitted (clashes with sister and son).[14]
• The second component is the number which specifies how far back, forward or sideways the relative is in relation to the nominated person, e.g. 3GA, 2GNm, 4GM, 2GS or 3Cm.
• If it is a half relationship, H is used next. This only applies to sibs, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and cousins. F for a full relationship is unnecessary ( clashes with father).
• The relationship itself, i.e. C, A, F, GM etc.
• The gender, if required, e.g. Cm, Cf, Nm, Nf.
• Finally, if it is a 'removed' cousinship, the number of generations forward (+1) or back (-2)

Examples

• Double, half, second cousin, male, once removed, backwards is coded as D(2HCm) - 1.
• Half great-aunt = HGA.
• Great-great-grandson = 3GS.
• Great-niece = GNf
• Third cousin, female, once removed, forwards = 3Cf + 1.

Irregular Double Cousins

The most difficult coding is for irregular double cousins.I suggest using a hybrid form where both relationship elements (in brackets after D) are separated by a forward slash. For example, if the parallel sets of parents are half sibs and first cousins, then the code for the relationship to a male child across the two sets of children would be D(HCm / 2Cm). The closest of the two relationships, (HCm), being placed first for consistency.

Double Relationships Caused by Inbreeding

If the nominee has a double relationship to another person because of inbreeding, use the normal prefix D. If the the relationships are of more than one kind, use brackets and forward slashes as above. For example, (Figure 9) A and M's relationship can be coded as D3GF or D3GS, depending on who is the nominee; and that between D and I (figure 17) as D(GM/GA) or D(GD/GNf).

First Degree Relationships

Coding for first degree relationships (see Table 3) is only given for double first cousins, to illustrate the procedure. Encodement for all the other types of first degree relationships, (as listed in table 3) should be done in the same way, e.g. U(I), Cm(I), Nf(I) and 2Cm(I).

The following lists only span a limited number of generations, but the general principle can be extended to as many generations as required, e.g. 10GF or 7 GU. The coefficient of relationship values given are those between the specified relatives and the nominee.

THE CODES

Table 11 DIRECT RELATIONSHIPS

Relationship	MALES	FEMALES	R
Father /Mother	F	M	1/2
Grandfather / Grandmother	GF	GM	1/4
Great-Grandfather / Great-Grandmother	2GF	2GM	1/8
Great-Great-Grandfather / Great-Great-Grandmother	3GF	3GM	1/16
Son / Daughter	Sn	Dr	1/2
Grandson / Granddaughter	GS	GD	1/4
Great-Grandson / Great-Granddaughter	2GS	2GD	1/8
Great-Great-Grandson / Great-Great-Granddaughter	3GS	3GD	1/16

Table 12 COLLATERAL RELATIONSHIPS

Relationship	MALES	FEMALES	R
Brother / Sister	B	Sr	1/2
Half Brother / Half Sister	HB	HS	1/4
Uncle / Aunt	U	A	1/4
Great-Uncle / Great-Aunt	GU	GA	1/8
Great-Great-Uncle / Great-Great-Aunt	2GU	2GA	1/16
Great-Great-Great-Uncle / Great-Great-Great-Aunt	3GU	3GA	1/32
Half Uncle / Half Aunt	HU	HA	1/8
Half Great-Uncle / Half Great-Aunt	HGU	HGA	1/16
Half Great-Great-Uncle / Half Great-Great-Aunt	2HGU	2HGA	1/32
Half Great-Great-Great-Uncle / Half Great-Great-Great-Aunt	3HGU	3HGA	1/64
Nephew / Niece	Nm	Nf	1/4
Great-Nephew / Great-Niece	GNm	GNf	1/8
Great-Great-Nephew / Great-Great-Niece	2GNm	2GNf	1/16
Great-Great-Great-Nephew / Great-Great-Great-Niece	3GNm	3GNf	1/32
Half Nephew / Half Niece	HNm	HNf	1/8
Half Great-Nephew / Half Great-Niece	HGNm	HGNf	1/16
Half Great-Great-Nephew / Half Great-Great-Niece	2HGNm	2HGNf	1/32
Half Great-Great-Great-Nephew / Half Grt-Grt-Grt-Niece	3HGNm	3HGNf	1/64
First Cousin	Cm	Cf	1/8
Second Cousin	2Cm	2Cf	1/32
Third Cousin	3Cm	3Cf	1/128
Half First Cousin	HCm	HCf	1/16
Half Second Cousin	2HCm	2HCf	1/64
Half Third Cousin	3HCm	3HCf	1/256
First Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	Cm+/-1	Cf+/-1	1/16
First Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	Cm+/-2	Cf+/-2	1/32
First Cousin Three Times Removed (Forward / Back)	Cm+/-3	Cf+/-3	1/64
Second Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	2Cm+/-1	2Cf+/-1	1/64
Second Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	2Cm+/-2	2Cf+/-2	1/128
Second Cousin Three Times Removed (Forward / Back)	2Cm+/-3	2Cf+/-3	1/256
Third Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	3Cm+/-1	3Cf+/-1	1/256
Third Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	3Cm+/-2	3Cf+/-2	1/512
Third Cousin Three Times Removed (Forward / Back)	3Cm+/-3	3Cf+/-3	1/1024
Half First Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	HCm+/-1	HCf+/-1	1/32
Half First Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	HCm+/-2	HCf+/-2	1/64
Half First Cousin Three Times Removed (Forward / Back)	HCm+/-3	HCf+/-3	1/128
Half Second Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	2HCm+/-1	2HCf+/-1	1/128
Half Second Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	2HCm+/-2	2HCf+/-2	1/256
Half Second Cousin Thrice Removed (Forward / Back)	2HCm+/-3	2HCf+/-3	1/512
Half Third Cousin Once Removed (Forward / Back)	3HCm+/-1	3HCf+/-1	1/512
Half Third Cousin Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	3HCm+/-2	3HCf+/-2	1/1024
Half Third Cousin Three Times Removed (Forward / Back)	3HCm+/-3	3HCf+/-3	1/2048

Table 13 UNUSUAL COLLATERAL RELATIONSHIPS
a) Twins [13]

	MALES	FEMALES	R
Identical Twin	B(IT)	S(IT)	1.0
Fraternal Twin (full sib)	B(FT)	S(FT)	1/2
Fraternal Twin (half sib)	HB(FT)	HS(FT)	1/4

Table 14 UNUSUAL COLLATERAL RELATIONSHIPS
b) Regular Double Cousinships

	MALES	FEMALES	R
Double First Cousin (First Degree)	D[Cm (I)]	D[Cf (I)]	1/2
Double First Cousin	DCm	DCf	1/4
Double Half First Cousin	DHCm	DHCf	1/8
Double Second Cousin (both types - see Figure 32)	D2Cm	D2Cf	1/16
Double Half Second Cousins (both types)	D2HCm	D2HCf	1/32
Double Third Cousins (three types)	D3Cm	D3Cf	1/64

Table 15 UNUSUAL COLLATERAL RELATIONSHIPS
c) Irregular Double Cousinships

Combinations of Parents	MALES	FEMALES	R
Identical Twins and Full Sibs	D[Cm (I) / Cm]	D[Cf (I) / Cf]	3/8
Identical Twins and Half Sibs	D[Cm (I) / HCm]	D[Cf (I) / HCf]	5/16
Identical Twins and First Cousins	D[Cm (I) / 2Cm]	D[Cf (I) / 2Cf]	9/32
Identical Twins and Half First Cousins	D[Cm (I) / 2HCm]	D[Cf (I) / 2HCf]	17/64
Identical Twins and Second Cousins	D[Cm (I) / 3Cm]	D[Cf (I) / 3Cf]	33/128
Full Sibs and Half Sibs	D(Cm / HCm)	D(Cf / HCf)	3/16
Full Sibs and First Cousins	D(Cm / 2Cm)	D(Cf / 2Cf)	5/32
Full Sibs and Half First Cousins	D(Cm / 2HCm)	D(Cf / 2HCf)	9/64
Full Sibs and Second Cousins	D(Cm / 3Cm)	D(Cf / 3Cf)	17/128
Half Sibs and First Cousins	D(HCm / 2Cm)	D(HCf / 2Cf)	3/32
Half Sibs and Half First Cousins	D(HCm / 2HCm)	D(HCf / 2HCf)	5/64
Half Sibs and Second Cousins	D(HCm / 3Cm)	D(HCf / 3Cf)	9/128
First Cousins and Half First Cousins	D(2Cm / 2HCm)	D(2Cf / 2HCf)	3/64
First Cousins and Second Cousins	D(2Cm / 3Cm)	D(2Cf / 3Cf)	5/128
Half First Cousins and Second Cousins	D(2HCm / 3Cm)	D(2HCf / 3Cf)	3/128

Table 16 Removed Relationships for Conventional Double Cousins
a) Regular Double First Cousins (First Degree)

Combinations of Parents	MALES	FEMALES	R
Once Removed (Forward / Back)	D[Cm (I)]+/-1	D[Cf (I)]+/-1	1/4
Twice Removed (Forward / Back)	D[Cm (I)]+/-2	D[Cf (I)]+/-2	1/8
Thrice Removed (Forward / Back)	D[Cm (I)]+/-3	D[Cf (I)]+/-3	1/16

Table 17 Removed Relationships for Conventional Double Cousins
b) Regular Double Second Cousins

	Combinations of Parents	MALES	FEMALES	R
Once Removed (Forward / Back)		D(2Cm)+/-1	D(2Cf)+/-1	1/32
Twice Removed (Forward / Back)		D(2Cm)+/-2	D(2Cf)+/-2	1/64
Thrice Removed (Forward / Back)		D(2Cm)+/-3	D(2Cf)+/-3	1/128

Table 18 Removed Relationships for Conventional Double Cousins
c) Irregular Double Cousins (1st Cousins / 2nd Cousins)

	Combinations of Parents	MALES	FEMALES	R
Once Removed (Forward / Back)		D(Cm / 2Cm)+/-1	D(Cf / 2Cf)+/-1	5/64
Twice Removed (Forward / Back)		D(Cm / 2Cm)+/-2	D(Cf / 2Cf)+/-2	5/128
Thrice Removed (Forward / Back)		D(Cm / 2Cm)+/-3	D(Cf / 2Cf)+/-3	5/256

 

4. NOTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS DUE TO MARRIAGE, REMARRIAGE AND ADOPTION

a) In-laws and Spouses (First person singular is used to avoid repeating 'the nominated person')

In-laws are of two kinds, they are either the spouses of my 'blood' relatives or the 'blood' relatives of my spouse. Exceptions to this rule are the spouses of parents and grandparents (see i below), and the children and grandchildren of a spouse from a previous marriage (see step relatives).

i) Spouses of my direct ancestors and their families are usually genetically related to me and can all be coded in the normal way, e.g. Grandfather and Grandmother. Exceptions are where an ancestor has remarried (see step relatives). Spouses of my collateral relatives and my descendants, however, have no 'blood' relationship to me, unless there has been a cousin marriage. Their relationship to me (by marriage only) will be given the same coding as their spouses (gender adjusted) who are my 'blood' relatives. However, the codes will be printed in red to distinguish them from true 'blood' relationships.

e.g. Sister-in-Law:- Sr (Brother's wife, also spouse's sister - see ii below)

Son-in-Law:- Sn (Daughter's husband)

A special case is the spouse of the nominated person; suggested symbols are:

Husband:- H Wife:- W

ii) All other in-laws, who are my spouse's 'blood' relatives (with the exception of any issue from a previous partner), will be treated in the same way and given a notional relationship code in red. e.g.

Mother-in-Law:- M ( Spouse's mother)

Brother-in-Law:- B ( Spouse's brother, also sister's husband - see i above)

b) Step Relatives

Second or subsequent marriages or partnerships bring in another set of 'non-blood' relatives known as step relatives. To distinguish between stepfather and father-in-law it is suggested that the step relationships should also be coded in red, as for in-laws, but encircled in green. e.g.

Stepfather:-

Stepdaughter:-

Most dictionaries only include step relatives from the remarriage of parents, i.e. stepparents, stepchildren, stepbrothers and stepsisters. However, it seems logical to extend the definition to other 'step relatives' resulting from the remarriage of grandparents and sibs. The following list includes a wider range, with full definitions. This extended coverage is used later in the section on 'Forbidden Marriages'.

1. Stepson, stepdaughter. (Spouse's child by previous partner).

2. Stepgrandson, stepgranddaughter. (Spouse's grandchild by previous partner).

3. Stepfather, stepmother. (Parent's spouse who is not one's own parent)

4. Stepgrandfather, stepgrandmother. (Grandparent's spouse who is not one's own grandparent).

5. Stepbrother, stepsister. (Child of one's stepparent by a previous partner).

6. Stepuncle, stepaunt. Either (Child of one's stepgrandparent by a previous partner) or (Your stepparent's brother or sister).

7. Stepnephew, stepniece. Either (Your stepparent's grandchild) Or (Your brother's or your sister's stepchild).

c) Adopted Children

The relationship is coded as if the adoptee had a normal 'blood relationship' with his/her adoptive parents, but printed in green to indicate adoption. e.g.

Adopted Son:- Sn

Adopted Daughter of my First Cousin:- Cf+1

If the adopted child is the nominated person then his/her immediate adoptive family can also be coded in green, e.g. Immediate Family Members:- F, M, B, Sr, HB, HS.

The husband or wife of an adopted person will be given the same notional relationship code to me (gender adjusted) as his/her spouse. It will be printed in green but encircled in red to indicate spouse relationship to an adoptee, e.g.

Adopted Daughter's Husband:-

My First Cousin's Adopted Daughter's Husband:-

d) Serial Marriages

When a person has been married several times, then each spouse and other in-laws connected with that spouse, should be numbered chronologically. e.g.

Spouses:- H(1), H(2), W(1), W(2).

In-laws:- M(1), M(2), B(1), B(2).

When there have been several remarriages the step relatives should also be numbered chronologically. e.g.

Stepfathers:-

Stepsisters:-

Stepdaughters:-

e) 'Blood' and 'Non-blood' Relationships Combined

If the spouse, in-law, step relative, adoptive parent, adoptee or adoptee's spouse also has a true genetic relationship with the nominated person, then both relationships can be included in the code as shown in the following examples:

Wife and first cousin	Cf	W
Father-in-law and uncle	U	F
Daughter-in-law and niece	Nf	Dr
Stepdaughter and niece	Nf
Adopted daughter and niece	Nf	Dr
Adopted son's wife and niece	Nf
Adopted son and grandson -	GS	Sn
Adoptive father and uncle	U	F