# RM11: How to create a group based on exact Relationship (e.g., 4th Cousins)? **URL:** \ **Category:** RootsMagic\ **Tags:** question, feature-request\ **Created:** [September 17, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246 "2026-09-17T14:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hubgoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@hubgoet](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/hubgoet)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/1 "2026-09-17T14:26:10Z")
In **RootsMagic 11** , I want to create a group and color code my cousins of the **same generation** as me ( 4th cousins / C4), _without_ including their children or grandchildren. Since “Relationship” or “Generation” are not available as criteria in the Group Rules, what is the easiest way to select only people with the exact relationship of “4th cousin”? Doing this via Tree/Ancestor rules selects too many generations, and subtracting groups becomes too complicated for C4. Any tips? ---
**Author:** ![MadDog](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/maddog/32/313_2.png) [@MadDog](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/MadDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/2 "2026-09-17T17:12:09Z")
I used the Descendants View to show “cousins” 2nd, 3rd, etc and then Color Code the individuals. Now go to Search\>Individual Attributes\>Color and create a Group for 2nd, 3rd, 4th cousin. ---
**Author:** ![dec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@dec](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/dec)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/3 "2026-09-17T23:50:26Z")
How do you show cousins in Descendents View? ---
**Author:** ![MadDog](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/maddog/32/313_2.png) [@MadDog](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/MadDog)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/4 "2026-09-18T01:08:00Z")
The word “cousins” isn’t shown, you need to select them by the generation #. ---
**Author:** ![kbens0n](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/kbens0n/32/80_2.png) [@kbens0n](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/kbens0n)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 1:18am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/5 "2026-09-18T01:18:41Z")
Setting the number of generations large enough produces numbered sub-generations. The little squares with minus signs (to show further sub-generations) can be clicked to toggle the minus to a plus sign and control what remains onscreen “generationally” and what gets rolled up out of view. ---
**Author:** ![hubgoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@hubgoet](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/hubgoet)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 8:05am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/6 "2026-09-18T08:05:28Z")
Thanks for your input; the idea isn’t to make a selection based on a manually assigned color, but the other way around. In RM, you can have family relationships calculated starting from a specific person—often yourself, though not necessarily. I’d like to make selections based on those relationships—for example, all first and second cousins ​​of a specific person—but apparently, that isn’t possible (yet). Perhaps a suggestion for a future version… if there’s enough demand for it. It can be done using the Group tool, but that requires so many rules—say, for fourth cousins—that it becomes overly complex… or perhaps you have tips to simplify that selection process in the current version? ---
**Author:** ![AlanWatson](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/alanwatson/32/167_2.png) [@AlanWatson](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/AlanWatson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 5:06am UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/7 "2026-09-19T05:06:49Z")
To create a group of 4th cousins, create a new group, give it an appropriate name and choose rules. Click to add rules and select ‘Ancestors’. Choose the appropriate start person and select the appropriate number of generations back (6 I think for fourth cousins). Also choose to include descendants of ancestors picking the appropriate number of generations forward (5 I think, but this might be wrong.) This will select all fourth cousins and some of their ancestors. Then create another rule, with the combining option ‘but not’. Set up the same rule, but going one generation forward fewer. This will eliminate all the ancestors of your fourth cousins. You then have your group which can be refreshed at the push of a button and which can also be used in colour coding. ---
**Author:** ![jateas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/jateas/32/5684_2.png) [@jateas](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/jateas)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/rm11-how-to-create-a-group-based-on-exact-relationship-e-g-4th-cousins/16246/8 "2026-09-21T12:52:26Z")
I use the script for color coding by sanguinity. Then I create groups based on color.