RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Huwcyn on Sunday 20 March 11 17:45 GMT (UK)
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Not that I've any intention of proposing to such a relation, but is such a marriage valid ?
If not, would it have been valid in the late 1800s ?
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Yes you can marry your cousin.
Here is who you cant marry
http://www.genetic-genealogy.co.uk/Toc115570145.html
Jan
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Marriage between first cousins has always been valid in this country and most of the royal families of Europe have many examples of this.
I have a few cousin marriages in my tree, including a couple who were cousins twice over, as two brothers married two sisters and their children married.
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It is quite a common misconception that marriages of first cousins were either illegal or frowned upon by the Church. Cousin marriages have never been in the forbidden list of kindred. The list of forbidden partners are stated in the Book of Common Prayer.
It was not only possible for first cousins [cousins-german] to marry each other; it was also quite common, having been legalized in the 1540s. Before this all provinces of the Catholic Church did agree that marriage between first cousins was essentially unacceptable.
The Act was 32 Hen VIII, c.38 (1540). [Marriage]. (Precontracting & Degrees of Consanguinity). Which says in effect that all marriages were valid unless prohibited by God's laws. 2nd . July 1540.
Among its other provisions it declared that the relationship between first cousins did not constitute a divine prohibition of affinity.
See also http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.msg1839225.html#msg1839225
Stan
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My Grandfather and Grandmother married in 1900.
His Father and her mother were brother and sister evidently none of the family thought it Odd - only thing was I was a set of Grandparents short !!!
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Thank you all for your interesting comments.
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I have a few first cousin marriages in my tree.
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Yes my GGG Grandparents were first cousins, their Dad's were brothers.
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For a list of Prohibited Degrees cited by Archbishop Parker cited in 1563, see
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.msg1838420.html#msg1838420
and for the current list of Prohibited Degrees see
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.msg1838427.html#msg1838427
Stan
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Yup - my 2x great grandparents and lots of others more distantly related. My mum was engaged to her first cousin before seeing my dad. I seem to work in an area where 1st cousin marriage is still quite common as well.
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Victoria and Albert were first cousins.
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Victoria and Albert were first cousins.
So were Charles Darwin and his wife. Cousin marriage had actually become more common among the upper classes at this time and Darwin was worried by the emerging evidence that it could intensify disadvantageous characteristics, though of course it could do the same for advantageous ones as well.
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My grandparents married in 1923 they were first cousins,their dad's were brothers.
My dad was an only child and so am I,but we both seem 'normal'.
;D ;D ;D
Carol
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So were Charles Darwin and his wife. Cousin marriage had actually become more common among the upper classes at this time and Darwin was worried by the emerging evidence that it could intensify disadvantageous characteristics, though of course it could do the same for advantageous ones as well.
See http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,301920.msg1839225.html#msg1839225 George H. Darwin, 'Note on the Marriage of First Cousins'
Stan
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While not first cousins, 3 sisters married 3 brothers in the 1800s in my tree in Suffolk. Go back far enough they probably all interlink anyway.
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Can somebody please explain to me what is meant by 'single first cousins' and 'double first cousins' ?
That website Groom cited is mind-boggling!
The thinking against first cousins marrying is because it is supposed to increase the risk of any abnormalities in children of the marriage.
Dawn M
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I have always thought that first cousins were allowed to marry - I hope so otherwise at 71 years old I may find myself illegitimate.
Elizabeth
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See Double Cousins at http://www.searchforancestors.com/utility/cousincalculator.html
There is whole list of Relationship Charts at http://www.cyndislist.com/cousins.htm
Stan
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I think I'll stick with Kissing Cousins ;D ;D ::)
Dawn M
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Go back far enough they probably all interlink anyway.
This is a bit difficult to explain, and I'm not sure I should boast about it. My grandfather came from a moderately isolated Derbyshire village. Tracing his ancestors, there are 6 separate cases where pairs of ancestors are siblings. That is, 6 cases where I can trace up either of 2 branches to reach the same point.
I have some gaps in the tree, but I do know that whereas he should have had 256 5g grandparents, there can be at most 192.