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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: George4 on Tuesday 14 December 10 11:45 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
My grandmothers brother has always been referred to me, as my Great Uncle and not my Grand Uncle.
Wouldn't it be appropriate to have him on the same level and title as a Grand, the same level as my Grandmother.
It would appear by claiming that my Grandmothers brother is a Great Uncle makes him one generation older than her ?
By naming him as a Great Uncle, that would place him on the same level as my great grandparents and possibly interpreted, as one of their siblings.
Kind regards
George
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Great Uncle and Grand Uncle are interchangeable terms so if its easier refer to him as you Grand Uncle rather than a Great Uncle
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I can see where you are coming from .
My mother in law`s brother is my husbands uncle or my childrens great uncle
My grandmothers sister was also known as our great auntie.
So although you could misinterpret the relationship as being a sibling of great grandparents i think that most people call siblings of grandparents great aunts or uncles and when they use that term that is what they mean.
I personally would refer to siblings of my great grand parents as the brother or sister of my great grandparents. Whilst the siblings of grandparents have always been referred to as great uncle or great aunt in my family.
Regards
Sarah
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I think the term "great aunt/uncle" is British while the American version is "grand aunt/uncle".
I am assuming this as I am using Ancestry's Family Tree Maker which is American written and uses the term "grand" where we would use "great".
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The two terms are actually both used in America.
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I am sure that if someone would refer to your Great Grandmothers brother,
he would be your great granduncle or great great uncle and therefore on the same level as your great grandmother.
marcie
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George, I think the confusion is the 'one step back' generation thing - if you think about it it all starts with an inbalance.
By that I mean that in the first generation back you have parents, and their brothers and sisters are your uncles and aunts.
In the second generation back you have grandparents, and their brothers and sisters are your great uncles and aunts.
In the third generation back you have great grandparents, and their brothers and sisters are your great great uncles and aunts.
I do see what you mean, in that in the last example, the third generation, you have 1 x 'great' in the term for the parents and 2 x 'great' in the term for their brothers and sisters but that's because the 'great' kicks in for parents one generation later than it does for Uncles and Aunts.
That's just the way it is, and as far as I know always has been. It's normal practice - do you really think it will confuse people looking at trees? I would have thought that anyone who had the interest in the subject enough to want to see the family tree would be able to work that out.
The interchange of Great Uncle / Grand Uncle seems to be a family / culture thing, as Aghadowey says the terms are both used in America, but in Britain the majority only use the word 'Great' in that context (as far as I know.. happy to be corrected)
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From what I understand, your thoughts were right. Grand Uncle is the brother of a grandparent and Great Uncle is the brother of a Great grandparent. I used to get very confused over this until my family tree maker put it right with a relationship calculator and then more recently Ancestry confirmed it with their relationship calculator.
All the best
Sue
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From what I understand, your thoughts were right. Grand Uncle is the brother of a grandparent and Great Uncle is the brother of a Great grandparent. I used to get very confused over this until my family tree maker put it right with a relationship calculator and then more recently Ancestry confirmed it with their relationship calculator.
All the best
Sue
Sorry but I disagree, as does this site amongst others-
"Granduncle or Great-uncle
A father's or mother's uncle.
Grandaunt or Great-aunt
The aunt of one's father or mother. "
http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/relationshipterms.html
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The two terms are actually both used in America.
As Legacy, an American company, offers grand for American use and Great as English/British use then I agree with brushbroomstick for an habitual usage.
I am intrigued, aghadowey, could you quote sources of "great" in America?
Thanks, falcybe
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I am intrigued, aghadowey, could you quote sources of "great" in America?
Have heard both used interchangeably in U.S. as well as in books. Check Webster's or other American dictionaries and they will probably show both.
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For some time I have felt that we family researchers should make a concerted effort to change this usage for the sake of consistency and easy understanding. Who cares that "great uncle" and "great aunt" have been used historically if they are simply wrong and add confusion to an already confusing hobby?
It makes sense that the brother of your grandmother or grandfather is your grand uncle. It also makes sense that the sister of your great grandfather is your great grand aunt... ad infinitum back as many generations as you like.
Let's not continue doing things simply because, "That's how it has always been done."
Yours in anarchy,
Nick
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In Scots, Great Uncles were Auld Uncles! Skoosh.
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Maggie1895
If George4 is confused about Great or Grand Uncle or Aunty what about 2nd Cousin twice removed.
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For some time I have felt that we family researchers should make a concerted effort to change this usage for the sake of consistency and easy understanding. Who cares that "great uncle" and "great aunt" have been used historically if they are simply wrong and add confusion to an already confusing hobby?
It makes sense that the brother of your grandmother or grandfather is your grand uncle. It also makes sense that the sister of your great grandfather is your great grand aunt... ad infinitum back as many generations as you like.
Let's not continue doing things simply because, "That's how it has always been done."
Yours in anarchy,
Nick
What you say makes sense, but the term 'grand-aunt' just doesn't sound right to my English ears :)
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:-\ I was teasing my brother when he rang me to say he was a grandfather. He soon put me down by saying 'you know what that makes you - a great aunt!!!!!' It really sounds so much older doesn't it.
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I always tell people that I have 3 great nephews and one great niece. I don't describe myself as their "great uncle" because that makes me sound old. I always say I'm their "extra-ordinary uncle".