If over the last 3 generations.

[Theodoreb]

People were only allowed two children would you exist?

I wouldn't my nan was child number 5
My mum child number 2
And I was child number 1.

Oh dear my paternal Grandad was one of 13 but I'm not sure what position he was in. I know he had a sister who was old enough to be his mum though, so I guess one of the later ones. Grandma was estranged from her family, I don't actually know. My dad is 4/5

On my mum's side Grandad was one of 4 and I think the eldest, Grandma middle of 3. Mum is the oldest of 3 and I'm the oldest. So I'd be ok in that line but not in the other

Although of course in those days there were probably others who didn't survive and about whom I would never have known.

If I include my children nephews/cousins children etc it would be -19! My DD already died but I included her too so -18 now.

Nope - my maternal grandmother was the youngest of 12.

I'm not sure about my grandparents. I ought to find out. My grandmother had two sisters, but I'm not sure about birth order, my grandfather on that side had a really chaotic family life, but I think he was an only child - there were no other people at my great grandmother's birthday celebrations etc. I think my other grandmother had an elder brother and I'm not sure about my grandfather. My dad has a cousin on that side of the family, so at least one sibling.

My mum is the eldest of five. My dad is the youngest of 4, but the middle two died in infancy.

Yes, but my lovely little sister would not be. Can’t imagine life without her. 😢

Nope my grandad was the youngest of 13(!)

Yes, maternal Gran was 2nd child of 3 /grandfather was 1st of 13 (surviving). Paternal Grandmother was 2nd by 10 minutes (identical twins)/grandfather was 1st child.

Both parents were the second child and I'm an only.

My kids wouldn't exist though as dh is the 3rd child.

Almost. I am child 1 and so are my parents and maternal grandparents and my dad's mother. However my dad's dad was the youngest of 10!

@Theodoreb

Just to clear up I have no agendas about population control I have 3 dc myself just was curious how badly it would have effected the world we know today if a 2 child cap had been introduced.

I think you’d have to take into account when contraceptives were widely available. A 2 child cap isn’t workable without that.

Thinking about my grandparents, my youngest grandparent was born in the mid-1920’s, and back then, the most you’d have access to would be some sort of condom or diaphragm cap if you had money and access to the right sort of doctor, but there’d be no free contraception on the (as yet non existent) NHS like there is now.

Nope paternal grandad was youngest of five, paternal grandma was second-youngest of seven. Ok on my mum's side though.

Yes, and so would my big dsis.
Grandparents were:
GF - eldest of 4
GM - only child
GM - youngest of 2
GF - eldest of 2

Parents were:
F - Eldest of 3
M - Youngest of 2.

my auntie, db and dsis (and nephews) wouldn't exist though.

Nope. Mum was 3rd of 4, Dad 5th of 6.

I would - g’ma only child, mum middle of three & I’m eldest of three.

My dad was the middle of three too - but none of my aunts or uncles on either side have had children. So despite my brother & I both having more than two children our children’s generation is (much) smaller than if everyone had had two.

Yes because Mum was #2 and Dad was #1 .

What about people who are #1 child for one parent and #3 for the other?!

No, as I am number 3. Anyhow my Dad was number 4, but my Mum was number 1.
I’m not sure about my grandparents, they all came from large families.

Yes. I'm second born of a first born of a first born of a first born

No my maternal grandmother was one of 13! Can't remember which number she was but she was one if the younger ones.

Both parents are first born and I'm second born.

I would be here.
My dad was 2/2 and his mum 1/7 and dad 1/1 (very unusual back then).
My mum was 2/5, her mum 1/7 and her dad 2/3.

Yes. I'm the eldest of the eldest of the eldest of the eldest. So that's four generations.

On my fathers side, he's child 2 but I've no idea about previous generations.

No, my grandparents and my parents would exist but I wouldn’t as I was child number 3.

No! Both my parents were only children,and my great grandparents were either the oldest or second oldest. I have 2 older brothers,and even if there wasn't a rule of '2 children only',I may not have come to be! It was only because my mum put up a big fight for a third child that I exist. I think she was desperate for a girl. Thankfully I obliged!

My dad is number 6 of 14 so I didn’t stand a chance!

Definitely not. I'm the eldest, but my father was the third child, my mother the youngest of seven, and all my grandparents somewhere in the middle of big Irish families (14, in one case!)

No - my mum was 4th child

Yes!

I'm 2/2.
DPs are 1/3 and 2/2.
DGPs 1/4 and 2/4, 1/7 and 2/7.

GGPs is where it gets hazy.

DH wouldn't be here as his mum was 4/13. But his dad (1/2) was well on his way when his parents got married in the 1920s .