Relationship Calculator: Has the number of generations been increased?

JulianBrown38

In the list of profiles that I have created in 2024, I have found several profiles reported as my 18th cousins. This includes one that is reported as my 18th cousin 4 times removed. By my reckoning, this means that the calculator is using at least 24 generations. The Help Center documentation and the message that is displayed when the calculator cannot find a relationship still talk about a limit of 15 generations. The relationship diagram does show 24 generations in these cases.

Has the scope of the calculator been increased?

Gordon Collett

Yes. You can read about the changes in the Help Center article about it. In brief, it will identify a direct ancestor back to 200 AD and will show the relationship to any person with whom you share a direct common ancestor as long as that ancestor was born in 1500 AD or after no matter how many generations that is.

Gordon Collett

Here is the updated article: https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-does-the-relationship-viewer-determine-how-i-am-related-to-someone-in-family-tree?articleVariant=public

JulianBrown38

Thanks Gordon. The message that is displayed when a relationship cannot be found has been improved; it now reads:

"Relationship Unknown

We were unable to find a relationship at the moment."