YOUR 17,000 COUSINS

Average UK adult has 17,000 living relatives – with 1,200 likely to be Brits, new study claims

Researchers suggest that if you were part of Wembley Stadium's 90,000-strong crowd, you could have two long-lost cousins in the crowd

THE average UK adult has almost 17,000 living relatives worldwide — with 1,200 likely to be in Britain, a study claims.

Research from family history firm Ancestry found the average person is related to 16,895 eighth cousins.

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The average UK adult has 17,000 living relatives worldwide, a new study claimsCredit: Getty - Contributor

The firm said it means if you went to see a football match at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium you could have two long-lost cousins in the crowd.

Most people polled only consider first cousins as their true cousins and believe they have just six.

But seven in ten people said they would be interested to find a previously unknown family member.

Ancestry’s research claims those in Scotland have the most living connections, with an average of 21,000 cousins.

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If you were part of Wembley Stadium's 90,000-strong crowd, you could have two long-lost cousins in the crowdCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Those in the North West also have more than 20,000.

People living in the South West have the fewest, with 15,000 relatives, while those in London, East Anglia and the South East have fewer than 16,000.

The figures are based on tests of AncestryDNA customers born in the UK who share a traceable ancestor born in the last 200 years.

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People living in the North West have more than 20,000 relativesCredit: Alamy

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They were released to mark the anniversary of discovery in 1953 of the double helix — the structure of DNA.

AncestryDNA’s Russell James said: “We wouldn’t expect Brits to contact all their cousins.

But striking up a relationship with even a few could be a life-changing experience.”

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