Legacy’s Relationship Calculator Results Might Surprise You

Geoff Rasmussen

19 Jun 2007

This morning I was using Legacy Family Tree’s Relationship Calculator to determine the relationship between two ancestors of mine. Knowing that Legacy will report all known relationships between two persons, I calculated the relationship between myself and my mother. I was shocked with the findings.

I called my mom (6:30am) and instead of saying "Hi Mom" I said "Hi there 12th cousin!"

Apparently, my dad and my mom share the same common ancestor – Richard Kimball, who was born in 1595. Somehow, Legacy determined that because of this relationship, I am my mom’s 12th cousin.

How to Use the Relationship Calculator

In the Family View, locate yourself.
Click on the Tools menu, then click on Relationship Calculator.
Your information is filled in on the left. Now click on the Select Right button, locate the person to whom you wish to calculate the relationship, and click Select.
At the top right of the screen, the relationship is listed.

If there is more than one relationship, there will be more than one couple in the Common Ancestors section. Just click on the other couple, and their relationship to you will be presented in the upper right. Not only is my mom my 12th cousin, but we are also 15th cousins, and 15th cousins once removed. My wife and I are 13th cousins, which makes my mother-in-law my 12th cousin once removed. Knowing that my mother-in-law and I share common blood, we try harder to get along!

Comments (7)

I also use Tribal pages website. They show the whole path of relationships for anyone on my website, no matter how far away they are from each other. It is kind of amusing to see how that all plays out.

I’ve run into the same thing. I have my family tree information posted on the Internet and often receive queries from ofther genealogists. Invariably they ask, “how are you related to this person”. I currently have over 7000 people in my database and I’d love a tool that would help answer that question even if they aren’t a blood relation which is frequently the case.

My mother’s grandmothers were sisters. When I use the relationship calculator to show my relationship with my gg grandmother it only shows the paternal grandmother. How can I get them both to show?

What an interesting & possibly amusing item to look into.

You seemed to forget to mention that the Relationship Calculator is only available in the Deluxe Edition. It’s not available in all editions.

At this time, the Relationship Calculator shows only blood relationships.

I tried using the relationship calculater this morning after reading this and could not get it to report in-laws. It said I was related to my daughter and her children but that there was no relationship between me and her husband. Same thing with my dad and my mom’s father–no relationship. Did I do it right or is there another trick to make it show in-laws? Thanks.

A
Alicia

17 years ago

I also use Tribal pages website. They show the whole path of relationships for anyone on my website, no matter how far away they are from each other. It is kind of amusing to see how that all plays out.
BW
Bob Withers

17 years ago

I’ve run into the same thing. I have my family tree information posted on the Internet and often receive queries from ofther genealogists. Invariably they ask, “how are you related to this person”. I currently have over 7000 people in my database and I’d love a tool that would help answer that question even if they aren’t a blood relation which is frequently the case.
JJ
Jill Johnson

17 years ago

My mother’s grandmothers were sisters. When I use the relationship calculator to show my relationship with my gg grandmother it only shows the paternal grandmother. How can I get them both to show?
MB
Maryann Berry

17 years ago

What an interesting & possibly amusing item to look into.
G
gbh

17 years ago

You seemed to forget to mention that the Relationship Calculator is only available in the Deluxe Edition. It’s not available in all editions.
S
Sherry/Support

17 years ago

At this time, the Relationship Calculator shows only blood relationships.
SP
Susan Park

17 years ago

I tried using the relationship calculater this morning after reading this and could not get it to report in-laws. It said I was related to my daughter and her children but that there was no relationship between me and her husband. Same thing with my dad and my mom’s father–no relationship. Did I do it right or is there another trick to make it show in-laws? Thanks.