Nephew or niece
A nephew or niece is a relative to whom you are a uncle. The same page covers both terms.
The route
Red line: from you (1 step up) and 2 steps down. Gold: the shared ancestor.
How to count it
Go up 1 step from you to the shared ancestor, then down 2 to the other person. The extra 1 generation below your sibling-level is where the "great" prefixes come from: your uncle is the sibling of your ancestor, and you are their nephew or niece.
Cousin counting is the standard genealogical convention. Different families and legal systems sometimes use looser words, so check the naming conventions guide if a relative uses a different term.
Facts at a glance
| Term | nephew or niece |
|---|---|
| Reciprocal | uncle |
| By gender | Man: nephew. Woman: niece. |
| Steps up (a, b) | 1, 2 |
| Civil-law degree | 3 |
| Canon-law degree | 2 |
| Average DNA shared (full) | 25% |
| Average DNA shared (half) | 12.5% |
Full and half
The figures above assume full relatives, who share a couple as common ancestors. If the link runs through just one person, because of a remarriage or a different other parent, the relationship is a half relationship. It is usually written half nephew or niece, and the average shared DNA falls to 12.5%. See full and half relatives.
The DNA numbers are theoretical averages. Real amounts vary a lot from one pair to the next, especially for distant cousins, so read the DNA guide before comparing against a test.
Check your own relationship in the calculator, or see where this term sits on the chart.
Nearby terms
- Before: sibling
- After: great-nephew or niece
- All terms