People Who Cannot Marry



The list of Affinities and People Who Cannot Marry

People who cannot marry [1560]

The list of Affinities and People Who Cannot Marry was laid down in 1560 as follows:

A Man may not marry his A Woman may not marry her
GrandmotherGrandfather
Grandfather's WifeGrandmother's Husband
Wife's GrandmotherHusband's Grandfather
Father's SisterFather's Brother
Mother's SisterMother's Brother
Father's Brother's WifeFather's Sister's Husband
Mother's Brother's WifeMother's Sister's Husband
Wife's Father's SisterHusband's Father's Brother
Wife's Mother's SisterHusband's Mother's Brother
MotherFather
Step-MotherStep-Father
Wife's MotherHusband's Father
DaughterSon
Wife's DaughterHusband's Son
Son's WifeDaughter's Husband
SisterBrother
Wife's SisterHusband's Brother
Brother's WifeSister's Husband
Son's DaughterSon's Son
Daughter's DaughterDaughter's Son
Son's Son's WifeSon's Daughter's Husband
Daughter's Son's WifeDaughter's Daughter's Husband
Wife's Son's DaughterHusband's Son's Son
Wife's Daughter's DaughterHusband's Daughter's Son
Brother's DaughterBrother's Son
Sister's DaughterSister's Son
Brother's Son's WifeBrother's Daughter's Husband
Sister's Son's WifeSister's Daughter's Husband
Wife's Brother's DaughterHusband's Brother's Son
Wife's Sister's DaughterHusband's Sister's Son

People who cannot marry [1949]

The 1949 Marriage Act revised the list to

A man may not marry his A woman may not marry her
MotherFather
DaughterSon
Father' MotherFather's Father
Mother's MotherMother's Father
Son's DaughterSon's Son
Daughter's daughterDaughter's son
SisterBrother
Father's DaughterFather's Son
Mother' DaughterMother's Son
Wife's MotherHusband's father
Wife's DaughterHusband's Son
Father's WifeMother's Husband
Son's WifeDaughter's Husband
Father's Father's WifeFather's Mother's Husband
Mother's Father's WifeMother's Mother's Husband
Wife's Father's MotherHusband's Father's Father
Wife's Mother's MotherHusband's Mother's father
Wife's Son's DaughterHusband's Son's Son
Wife's Daughter's DaughterHusband's Daughter's Son
Son's Son's WifeSon's Daughter's Husband
Daughter's Son's WifeDaughter's Daughter's Husband
Father's SisterFather's Brother
Mother's SisterMother's Brother
Brother's DaughterBrother's Son
Sister's DaughterSister's Son

People who cannot marry

The following blood relatives are forbidden to marry

A man may not marry his A woman may not marry her
MotherFather
DaughterSon
GrandmotherGrandfather
GranddaughterGrandson
SisterBrother
Half SisterHalf Brother
AuntUncle
Half AuntHalf Uncle
NieceNephew
Half NieceHalf Nephew

In-laws Who Can Marry

A man can marry his A woman can marry her
Former wife's father's mother (Grandmother-in-law) Former husband's father's father (Grandfather-in-law)
Former wife's mother's mother (Grandmother-in-law) Former husband's mother's father (Grandfather-in-law)
Son's son's former wife (Granddaughter-in-law) Son's daughter's former husband (Grandson-in-law)
Daughter's son's former wife (Granddaughter-in-law) Daughter's daughter's former husband (Grandson-in-law)

People who can marry

A man can marry his A woman can marry her
Former wife's daughter (Step-daughter) Former husband's son (Step-son)
Father's former wife (Step-mother) Mother's former husband (Step-father)
Father's father's former wife (Step-grandmother) Father's mother's former husband (Step-grandfather)
Mother's father's former wife (Step-grandmother) Mother's mother's former husband (Step-grandfather)
Former wife's son's daughter (Step-granddaughter) Former husband's son's son (Step-grandson)
Former wife's daughter's daughter (Step-granddaughter) Former husband's daughter's son (Step-grandson)

In-laws Who Can Marry

A man can marry his A woman can marry her
Former wife's mother (Mother-in-law)Former husband's father(Father-in-law)
Son's former wife (Daughter-in-law) Daughter's former husband (Son-in-law)



© Malcolm Bull 2021
Revised 13:23 / 9th April 2021 / 10425

Page Ref: QQ_190

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