Marriage between 1st cousins

[Kim1980]

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.

[Jeuel]

Victoria and Albert were first cousins.

[aelf]

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.

[carol8353]

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'.

 

Carol

[stanmapstone]

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

[coombs]

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.

[Billyblue]

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

[elizabethh]

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

[stanmapstone]

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