“Consanguinity” or “Kindred” is the connections or relation of persons descended from the same or common ancestors. Consanguinity means the nearest blood-relations of the propositus i.e the person immediately concerned in an ascending and descending line. The words in the Indian Succession Act expressing relationships, denote only legitimate relationships.

The expression “next of kin” also mean the same thing. Consanguinity is of two kinds:

1. Lineal Consanguinity: is that which subsists between persons, of whom one is descended in a direct line from the other as between the propositus and his father, grandfather and so upwards in direct ascending line or between the propositus and his son, grandson, great-grandson and downwards in the direct descending line. Where the descent is by lineal consanguinity or a lineal descent, then the person so descending is called a lineal descendant.

2. Collateral Consanguinity: is the relationship between persons who are descendants from the same common ancestor but do not descend or ascend from each other. In other words, they are related by blood but do not descend from each other.

The classic example of collateral consanguinity are cousins who have the same grandparents but. Another example is the relationship shared between uncle and nephew.