from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
CONSANGUINITY. The relation subsisting among all the different persons
descending from the same stock, or common ancestor. Vaughan, 322, 329; 2 Bl.
Com. 202 Toull. Dr. Civ.. Fr. liv. 3, t. 1, ch. n 115 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 1955,
et seq.
2. Some portion of the blood of the common ancestor flows through the
veins of all his descendants, and though mixed with the blood flowing from
many other families, yet it constitutes the kindred or alliance by blood
between any two of the individuals. This relation by blood is of two kinds,
lineal and collateral.
3. Lineal consanguinity is that relation which exists among persons,
where one is descended from the other, as between the son and the father, or
the grandfather, and so upwards in a direct ascending line; and between the
father and the son, or the grandson, and so downwards in a direct descending
line. Every generation in this direct course males a degree, computing
either in the ascending or descending line. This being the natural mode of
computing the degrees of lineal, consanguinity, it has been adopted by the
civil, the canon, and the common law.
4. Collateral consanguinity is the relation subsisting among persons
who descend from the same common ancestor, but not from each other. It is
essential to constitute this relation, that they spring from the same common
root or stock, but in different branches. The mode of computing the degrees
is to discover the common ancestor, to begin with him to reckon downwards,
and the degree the two persons, or the more remote of them, is distant from
the ancestor, is the degree of kindred subsisting between them. For
instance, two brothers are related to each other in the first degree,
because from the father to each of them is one degree. An uncle and a nephew
are related to each other in tho second degree, because the nephew is two
degrees distant from the common ancestor, and the rule of computation is
extended to the remotest degrees of collateral relationship. This is the
mode of computation by the common and canon law. The method of computing by
the civil law, is to begin at either of the persons in question and count up
to the common ancestor, and then downwards to the, other person, calling it
a degree for each person, both ascending and descending, and the degrees
they stand from each other is the degree in which they stand related. Thus,
from a nephew to his father, is one degree; to the grandfather, two degrees
and then to the uncle, three; which points out the relationship.
5. The following table, in which the Roman numeral letters express the
degrees by the civil law, and those in Arabic figures at the bottom, those
by the common law, will fully illustrate the subject.
��������������������Ŀ
� IV. �
�Great grand-father's�
� father �
� 4 �
����������������������\
� \
��������������������Ŀ��Ŀ����������������Ŀ
� III. � � V. �
� Great grand-father � �Great grand-uncle�
� 3. � � �
��������������������������������������������
� \
��������������������Ŀ��Ŀ���������������Ŀ
� II. � � IV. �
� Grand father � � Great uncle. �
� 2. � � 3 �
�������������������������������������������
� \ \
��������������������Ŀ��Ŀ���������������Ŀ��Ŀ����������������Ŀ
� I. � � III. � � V. �
� �
� Father � � Uncle. � �Great Uncle's son�
� 1. � � 2. � � 3. �
�����������������������������������������������������������������
� \ \ \
�����������������Ŀ��Ŀ��������������Ŀ���Ŀ��������������Ŀ���Ŀ�����������Ŀ
� � � II. � � IV. � � VI. �
�Intestate person � � Brother � � Cousin german � � 2nd. Cousin�
� proposed. � � 1 � � 2 � � 3 �
������������������������������������������������������������������������������
� \
��������������������Ŀ�����������������������������������Ŀ���Ŀ������������Ŀ
� I. � � III. � � V. �
� Son. � � Nephew � �Son of Cousin�
� 1. � � 2 � � german 3 �
���������������������� �����������������������������������
� \
��������������������Ŀ ������������������Ŀ
� II. � � IV. �
� Grandson. � �Son of Nephew or �
� 2. � �brother's grandson�
���������������������� � 3 �
� ��������������������
��������������������Ŀ
� III. �
� Great grandson. �
� 3. �
����������������������
6. The mode of the civil law is preferable, for it points out the
actual degree of kindred in all cases; by the mode adopted by the common
law, different relations may stand in the same degree. The uncle and nephew
stand related in the second degree by the common law, and so are two first
cousins, or two sons of two brothers; but by the civil law the uncle and
nephew are in the third degree, and the cousins are in the fourth. The mode
of computation, however, is immaterial, for both will establish the same
person to be the heir. 2 Bl. Com. 202; 1 Swift's Dig. 113; Toull. Civ. Fr.
liv. 8, t. 1, o. 3, n. 115. Vide Branch; Degree; Line.