Great or Grand – Is There a Right Answer?

What do you call your grandparents’ siblings? Are they your “grand” or “great” aunts and uncles?  While there seems to be no general consensus on this issue, several sources indicate that today using either of these terms is correct.

According to http://www.bicknell.net/books/pc1981/p_family.htm, for example, while “grand” is still the proper way to refer to one’s grandparents’ siblings, over the years this term has been replaced with a more general “great” and now both terms can be used in the same manner. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family. The Minnesota Genealogical Society also lists these terms interchangeably on its consanguinity chart at http://mngs.org/tools.shtml.  Meanwhile, other sources, such as http://www.genealogy.com/askr031303.html maintain that “grand” is the only correct way to refer to one’s grandparents’ siblings.