DNA match stupid question!

[WhyDidIEatThat]

Can someone please explain, preferably in very simple language, how it’s possible to have a DNA match (let’s say 3rd, 4th cousin) who also matches with both your parents - when your parents (reassuringly) don’t match with each other?

I have googled but I just don’t get it.

Any chance the 3rd cousin is related to both your parents even though they aren't related to each other?

For example your 3rd cousin's mum is your dad's cousin and his/her dad is your mum's great nephew?

E.g 3rd cousins father is related to your father and 3rd cousins mother is related to your mother (but this would not make your parents related)

Well, perhaps a great nephew would be too young, but a distant relative who would share some DNA.

What's a 2nd cousin, or 3rd or 4th. Im aware this is not helping....

Thank you fed up, that was what I meant but didn't say very well.

Tea and coffee,

Your first cousin is the child of your parent's sibling.

Your first cousin once removed is the child of your first cousin (or your parent's first cousin).

Your second cousin is when your parent and their parent are cousins. (This puts both you and your second cousin on the next - second - rung down on the family tree.

Your second cousin once removed is when either you or they are the child of the second cousin.

A third cousin is when you are both grandchildren of cousin's (thus putting you on the third rung down in the family tree).

Etc.

Thanks! That finally makes sense!

I thought that a second cousin was a cousin of your cousin.

If your parent and their parent are cousins then you are first cousins twice removed.

How much DNA marches? We share a lot of DNA with apes, other animals even things like a plank of wood.

What do you mean by a DNA match? What specifically is being looked at?

BerrowHem, that's incorrect.

ARandomPoster is correct.

This is useful for working out which cousin is which

Thanks everyone. Just looking at 4th cousin matches (eg where a set of gt gt gt grandparents might be shared) or closer, I just couldn’t get my head around how you can be related to a person in more than one way?

I just couldn’t get my head around how you can be related to a person in more than one way?

Have a look at the royal family, lots of relations. The Queen and Prince Philip are both descendents of Queen Victoria, they are also descendents of a Danish King making them cousins of some sort in different ways, something like third cousins and fourth cousins.

Queen Victoria married her cousin Albert which links them again.

Well if two sets of brothers and sisters marry.

Set 1's children will be related by blood to set 2's on both sides, and vice versa.

“I just couldn’t get my head around how you can be related to a person in more than one way?”

It’d be quite easy though, I’d imagine it’s fairly common, especially in small towns.

My nephew is my DC’s cousin, but he also has cousins from his aunt on his dad’s side - they’re not related to each other at all. If they or their children had children together they’d be related to my nephew and his children in two ways.

Those are all great examples, thanks for demystifying it. All still seems a little implausible now I’ve uncovered 31 (so far) ‘both sides’ matches given the maternal and paternal lines are mostly thousands of miles apart.