What is my wife's cousin to me?
Your wife's cousin is your first cousin by marriage — often shortened to 'cousin-in-law,' though neither is a formal term. Her cousin shares grandparents with your wife, not with you, so no blood connects the two of you; the connection runs entirely through your marriage.
Relationship
First cousin by marriage
English has no single formal word for this relative — “first cousin by marriage” is the label genealogists use.
- You
- Your wife
- Her cousin
From the other side, you are their first cousin by marriage.
This connection runs through a marriage, not a shared ancestor, so the ancestor chart can't draw it.
The calculator below works out blood relationships through a shared ancestor — use it to explore the rest of your tree.
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This relationship sits outside the shared-ancestor model, so the card above carries the answer and the calculator opens in its default state. Work out any blood relationship with it, or open the full relationship calculator.
FAQs
What would my wife's cousin be to me?+
Your first cousin by marriage — the term is set by the marriage, however you phrase the question.
Who am I to my wife's cousin?+
You are their first cousin by marriage: the same connection read from the other side.
Does the calculator store my family details?+
No — it runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded or saved on our servers.
Start with one relative and see what comes back.
Add what you remember and AncestorIQ searches for the rest. Free to build your tree for as long as you like.
No credit card needed. Your tree stays yours.
