General Chat

I can't stop giggling at this : In Scotland, a man may not marry his great-grandmother or great-granddaughter and a woman may not marry her great-grandfather or great-grandson. Like you'd be around long enough LOL My husbands Grandmother married her cousin Much happiness debi

Thanks Bob. I as looking for that information a few months ago. Do you mind me asking, what was your source?

My grandparents were cousins and went on to have 6 healthy children. Strangely enough though one son had no children and another son had two children who died at a few weeks old. The rest went on to have a few healthy children between them. Maggy

Hiya Roxanne My mums parents were 1st cousins, they married in 1939. Karen

This happening every so often isn't a problem - but if it's every generation it's mutant time!

Peter http://www.weddingguide.*co.uk/articles/legal/prohibited.asp delete the * Bob

Personnally I would not wish to marry ant of my first cousins as it feels insestues to me. Nor can I imagine marrying one of my parents cousins (have 2 younger than me) or their children. The cosest I've ever got was a crush on my second cousin once removeds first cousin (if that make sence). Lunar xXx -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No European country prohibits marriage between first cousins. It is also legal throughout Canada and Mexico to marry your cousin. The USA is the only western country with cousin marriage restrictions.

One of my Primary School teachers married her cousin. They didn't have any kids incase of genetic problems. I think its acceptable if they don't have kids. It wouldn't be fair on the children if they had genetic problems.

It isn't Illegal. I saw something about it on TV not to long ago. 1 in 3 Children born to cousins have genetic disorders which is usually something to do with their skin.

I thiught it was but having read through the thread it seems it isent but not really advisable, I surpose it depends on family health history, and as someone else said if its done generation after geaneration its asking for genetic problems.

A couple of people have mentioned Henry VIII changing the law to marry his cousin. Don't think that can be right the nearest cousin Henry married was a 3rd cousin once removed - Katherine Parr - although he did marry his brother's widow and was distant cousin to all his wives and two of his wives were first cousins lol

Marrying a first cousin can only lead to genetic problems if there is already a genetic problem...Nature cannot tell, and does not care, if you are related to each other, and does not, therefore 'punish' you for marrying a close relative. From my Family History research, one line of which goes back to 1179, my lot married close relatives over and over again, sometimes knowingly, and sometimes by chance (because they lived in the same area and moved in the same close social circle). I come from a very small gene pool indeed and I'm as healthy as a hunter! Olde Crone

Imagine having your Aunt and Uncle as parents in law - weird or what?

hee, hee, Olde Crone.. hunters might be healthy - but what about the fishers in your lot??? LOL... Michael

But surely thats how genetic problems start! from what Ive been told, Im not talking about one person marrying a cousin, but if its classed a norma land is repeated generation after generation, even if there arent any genetic problems eventually there could be.

surely it depends on how many heads they've got?

There are plenty of diseases with genetic origin which can occur. Cousins who have both inherited such genes are obviously at risk, but it is quite possible to marry a person who is not related to you who has a defective gene which you also have. Where marriage between different races/religions is prohibited, you are obviously choosing a partner from a smaller genetic pool. There are lots of genetic diseases amongst Jewish people which are relatively rare amongst gentiles. Many people have perfectly healthy genes and all their near blood relatives (including cousins) ditto. nell