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What is a great-aunt or great-uncle?

Your great-aunt is your grandparent's sister, and your great-uncle is your grandparent's brother. The terms grand-aunt and grand-uncle mean exactly the same thing.

Preset to this relationship. Change the steps to compare with neighbouring relationships.

Your steps down from the shared ancestor
3
Their steps down
1
Shared ancestorsYour grandparentRelativegen 1Your parentgen 2Yougen 3

They are your

great-aunt/uncle

Common ancestors: your great-grandparents. Expected shared DNA: 12.5%

One of you is a child of the shared couple, so this is an aunt/uncle–niece/nephew line rather than cousins.

Genealogists often prefer "grand-aunt" because it lines up with grandparent: your grandparent's sibling is your grand-aunt, your great-grandparent's sibling is your great-grand-aunt. Everyday speech uses "great-aunt" for the same person.

You share about 12.5% of your DNA with a full great-aunt or great-uncle — the same expected amount as with a first cousin, or a half-aunt.

Their children are your parent's first cousins, which makes them your first cousins once removed.

The spouse of your great-uncle is usually also called your great-aunt, although you share no DNA with them.

To check a real pair of relatives, add them to the family tree maker and use How related?, or look them up on the cousin chart.

Questions

Is a great-aunt your grandparent's sister?

Yes. A great-aunt is the sister of one of your grandparents.

What is a great-aunt's child to me?

Your first cousin once removed.

What is my parent's aunt to me?

Your great-aunt (grand-aunt).