When is National Cousins Day?
National Cousins Day 2027 is on Saturday
Saturday, July 24, 2027
July 24 every year. That's in 280 days.
until National Cousins Day begins, in your time zone
National Cousins Day is an informal US day for getting back in touch with cousins, the relatives who are often our first playmates and longest-running friends. No founder or starting year has ever been documented.
About National Cousins Day
Cousins sit in an unusual spot in a family. They share grandparents and family stories, yet they usually grow up in different homes, so the bond can be close or can fade with distance. The day is a prompt to reach out, whether that means first cousins you grew up with or distant relatives you found through a family tree.
Nobody has claimed credit for the day. The National Day Calendar registry, which catalogs unofficial observances, already listed National Cousins Day on July 24 in 2015, and at the time it said it could not find the day's creator or origin. Its current listing still says the origin is being researched. The day has no official status and is not set by any law or proclamation.
The day is also a good excuse to sort out the family terms people often mix up. First cousins share a set of grandparents, and second cousins share great-grandparents. "Removed" describes a difference in generations. Your parent's first cousin, for example, is your first cousin once removed, because the two of you sit one generation apart in relation to the shared ancestor. Genealogy groups such as FamilySearch publish cousin charts that work out the exact relationship.
Sources: National Day Calendar registry: National Cousins Day (archived July 2015), National Day Calendar registry: National Cousins Day (archived July 2025), FamilySearch: Cousin chart and cousin relationships explained. How we check dates.
How to mark National Cousins Day
- Text or call a cousin you haven't spoken to in a while and share a favorite memory from childhood.
- Start a group chat or shared photo album for your cousins and fill it with old family pictures.
- Use a cousin chart to work out how you're related to the distant relatives in your family tree.
- Plan a summer meetup or a small cousins' reunion, even a short video call.
- Ask an older relative to label old photos so younger cousins know who everyone is.
National Cousins Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Thursday, July 24, 2025 |
| 2026 | Friday, July 24, 2026 |
| 2027 | Saturday, July 24, 2027 |
| 2028 | Monday, July 24, 2028 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, July 24, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, July 24, 2030 |
| 2031 | Thursday, July 24, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is National Cousins Day 2027?
National Cousins Day 2027 is on Saturday, July 24, 2027. It falls on July 24 every year. In 2028, it is on Monday, July 24, 2028.
Who started National Cousins Day?
No one knows. The day was already listed on July 24 by 2015, but no founder, organization or starting year has been documented.
What does "once removed" mean?
It means one generation of difference. Your first cousin's child, or your parent's first cousin, is your first cousin once removed.
What is the difference between a first and a second cousin?
First cousins share grandparents. Second cousins share great-grandparents, so their parents are first cousins to each other.
Is National Cousins Day a public holiday?
No. National Cousins Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.