Prohibited Degrees of Marriage


Prohibited degrees of relationship for marriage as given in Burn's ECCLESIATICAL LAW 1848. The table actually dates back to 1563.

One should note that having carnal knowledge brings the prohibitions into force. So having sex with one woman means a man can't legally marry her sister. Of course, the first act perhaps not being provable, this wasn't always enforced.

Leviticus gives the following according to Lord Coke. By kindred or consanguity a man may not marry his: mother, blood aunt, sister, daughter, granddaughter. By affininity or alliance he may not marry: his stepmother (father's wife), aunt(uncle's wife), stepsister (father's wife's daughter, but no mention of mother's husband's daughter), sister-in-law(brother's wife or wife's sister), daughter-in-law (son's wife), step-daughter (wife's daughter), or the daughter or his step-son or -daughter.
As for women, by kindred and consanguinity, she may not marry: her father, blood uncle, brother, son, or grandson. by affinity or alliance she may not marry her: stepfather, aunt's husband, sister's husband, brother-in-law, or son of her stepchildren.

This led to a longer table as follows.

A man may not marry his: grandmother, grandfather's wife, wife's grandmother, father's sister, mother's sister, father's brother's wife, mother's brother's wife, wife's father's sister, wife's mother's sister, mother, stepmother, wife's mother, daughter, wife's daughter, son's wife, sister, wife's sister, borther's wife, son's daughter, daughter's daughter, son's son's wife, daughter's son's wife, wife's son's daughter, wife's daughter's daughter, brother's daughter, sister's daughter, brother's son's wife, sister's son's wife, wife's brother's daughter, wife's sister's daughter.

A woman may not marry her: grandfather, grandmother's husband, husband's grandfather, father's brother, mother's brother, father's sister's husband, mother's sister's husband, husband's father's brother, husband's mother's brother, father, stepfather, husband's father, son, husband's son, daughter's husband, brother, husband's brother, sister's husband, son's son, daughter's son, son's daughter's husband, daughter's daughter's husband, husband's son's son, husband's daughter's son, brother's son, sister's son, brother's daughter's husband, sister's daughter's husband, husband's brother's son, husband's sister's son.

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