Wider term than "ancestors"?

To me, the word "ancestors" means only the direct ones - parents of parents and so on. But we also do research on their brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, in-laws etc. I can't bring myself to call those people ancestors (although I think some people do). Can we call them "forbears" or are we left with "rellies"? Any better ideas for what we should call the wider spread of people we research?
Barbara

 

Collateral lines?. Sounds a bit like collateral damage doesn’t it?

 

Ancestors and their extended families?

 

Collateral lines are those descended from the siblings of your direct ancestor. For example the siblings of your great grandparents and then down through their descendants. So the brother of your ancestor is not your ancestor but his father is.

 

Twiglets.

 

I always called those folks "cousins."

 

There seems to be no easy way to name the group "ancestors + cousins + twigets" though - the whole crowd of the people we research, not all direct ancestors.

 

Well, if it strays too far from direct ancestors - just call 'em family.

 

I've often thought the same, they aren't ancestors unless they are my direct line but there seems no official word to describe them

 

How about antecedents

 

Yes, I suppose antecedents will do, but I still see that as my direct line

 

'Rellies' are what I have whether they like it or not. or 'connections' which include the spousal parties.

 

I'll go with that.

 

I refer to them as in-laws and out-laws of ancestors!