What is a step-cousin?
A step-cousin is the child of your step-parent's brother or sister. You are connected through a parent's marriage, not by blood, so you share no ancestors and no DNA.
How the link works
When your parent marries someone with siblings, those siblings become your step-aunts and step-uncles, and their children become your step-cousins. The same applies the other way: your step-parent's children see your cousins as step-cousins.
Step vs half
"Step" always means the connection runs through a marriage. "Half" means a real but partial blood link: a half-cousin shares one grandparent with you instead of two. If your parent and your step-parent later have a child, that child is your half-sibling, and their cousins on that side become related to your half-sibling by blood but still not to you.
Can step-cousins date?
There is no blood relationship, and no US state or UK law prohibits relationships or marriage between step-cousins. Whether it feels awkward is a family matter, not a legal one.
Check your own relative
Not sure this is the right term? Enter your actual connection.
Find the most recent ancestor you both descend from, then say how each of you is connected to them.
- They call you
- their first cousin
- Expected shared DNA
- ≈ 12.5%
- Degree (civil / canon)
- 4 / 2
- Also called
- 1st cousin
Why a first cousin?
You share grandparents. You are 2 generations below them; the other person is 2 generations below them.
The cousin number comes from whoever is closer to the shared ancestor: 2 generations down, minus 1 = first cousin.
You are the same number of generations down, so there is no "removed".
Questions people ask
Are step-cousins blood related?
No. Step-cousins share no common ancestors.
What is my step-mom's niece to me?
Your step-cousin.