Family Historian User Group

Is the niece (or nephew) relationship defined only via the blood line, or can it exist via marriage as well?

I have a death cert for a John Smith who I think maybe my gt grandfather, but I need to try and confirm this. The death was witnessed by an L Hare, niece and I know that there was at least one Smith - Hare marriage. Johns daughter married a Hare, they were my grandparents.

My Hares and Smiths were all based around Stevenage/Hitchin/Little Wymondley, so if I can find this niece in the census and tie her back to the Smiths, then I can be more certain I have the correct death cert for John Smith. Unfortunately the names are very common in that area.

I just need to understand the niece relationship more precisely. Must she have been born a Smith in order to be niece to John Smith.

Thanks, David


ID:2647

I certainly refer to my wife's sister's children as my nephews and nieces.

e.g. if my name was Smith, my wife's maiden name might have been Jones, her sister would have been a Jones, her husband could be a Williams so the niece would be a Williams but then she could have married a Taylor and taken her husband's name. So if you're unlucky there could be 2 more surnames to find in between your Hares and Smiths!

From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/niece

'1. The daughter of one's brother or sister or of the brother or sister of one's spouse.'

So yes, it can exist via marriage as well.

Nick and Jon,

Thanks for your replies, It seems my task may be a bit more complex, but at least I can now focus on it.

David.

From the OED:

1. a. A female relative, esp. a cousin. Obs.

   b. The daughter of one's brother or sister; the daughter of one's brother- or sister-in-law.

   c. A granddaughter, or more remote female descendant. Chiefly Sc. in later use. Obs.

   d. euphem. An illegitimate daughter. Cf. NEPHEW n. 1b. Obs. rare.

   2. A male relative, esp. a nephew. Now U.S. (in African-American usage).

   3. Used as a form of address to a woman. Obs. rare.

   COMPOUNDS

   niece-elect n. Obs. rare a person chosen or intended to become one's niece.

   niece-in-law n. the wife of one's nephew.



So your job might be bigger than you think!

We've also found neice used on censuses for what we'd now call great neices.