Amy is the only child of Terry Jordan and Deanna Duggar, whose brother, Jim Bob Duggar, shares 19 children with wife Michelle Duggar. When the former politician and Michelle’s first reality series debuted in 2008, Amy and her parents would frequently make appearances — and showed how their lifestyle differed from that of their conservative relatives.
Though Amy spent a lot of time with her cousins growing up, she revealed in December 2025 that their relationships were always “surface-level” because of the differences in how they were raised.
Scroll down to see Amy’s ups and downs with her extended family over the years:
Credit: Shutterstock
Inside Amy Duggar’s Estranged Relationship With Her Family and Cousins: Her Quotes Over the Years
Amy Duggar earned a reputation as the rebellious cousin throughout her extended family's tenure on 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On.
Amy is the only child of Terry Jordan and Deanna Duggar, whose brother, Jim Bob Duggar, shares 19 children with wife Michelle Duggar. When the former politician and Michelle's first reality series debuted in 2008, Amy and her parents would frequently make appearances — and showed how their lifestyle differed from that of their conservative relatives.
Though Amy spent a lot of time with her cousins growing up, she revealed in December 2025 that their relationships were always “surface-level” because of the differences in how they were raised.
Scroll down to see Amy's ups and downs with her extended family over the years:
Credit: YouTube
2008
Amy was regularly featured on 19 Kids and Counting, which ran for 10 seasons between 2008 and 2015. She briefly appeared on the family's spinoff, Counting On, often providing a contrast to her cousins' strict upbringings.
Credit: YouTube
June 2014
Amy had her own special episode of 19 Kids and Counting, titled "A Duggar Leaves Replica Luxury Handbag," which followed her journey to Nashville in hopes of becoming a country singer and setting herself apart from her relatives.
Credit: Courtesy of Amy Duggar/Instagram
March 2016
After Amy shared a photo of herself in a Gilmore Girls sweatshirt, an Instagram user asked whether her cousins could "come over to your house and stay for a night" since they "don't watch TV."
At the time, Amy replied, "We've had a girls night before and have gone out to eat. It's a rule though that if I want to spend quality time with them I have to come see them. They don't want me to influence them. So I respect their standards and I don't fuss about it."
Credit: Courtesy Amy Duggar/Instagram
November 2016
Fans noticed that Amy was absent from Jinger Duggar's 2016 wedding to Jeremy Vuolo — but the reality star chalked it up to an already packed calendar. "I was absolutely invited. I love my family! There is no rift between me and my cousins at all. It was just wrong timing," Amy told Entertainment Tonight. "We already had something scheduled."
Credit: Courtesy of Amy Duggar/Instagram
February 2017
While appearing on Marriage Boot Camp season 9 with her husband, Amy reflected on "being judged" as the outsider of her extended family, confessing, "I hate being a rebel Duggar."
Credit: Tlc/Kobal/Shutterstock
July 2020
Amy told Entertainment Tonight that she felt "at peace" after growing apart from her cousins. "I think we are all just trying to find our path and we're all just doing things differently," she explained. "I'm doing things differently and I'm happy where I'm at. I'm happy for them. Things are definitely different, but I'm happy for everybody."
She added at the time, "I'm in a good place and I wish my family all the best. I have freedom and it is wonderful."
Credit: Courtrsy of Jill Duggar/Instagram
July 2020
While she may not have the closest relationship with the rest of the Duggar clan, Amy admitted that she and her cousin Jill are on good terms. "Jill and I text, not on a daily basis, but we text quite often," she told ET. "And we discuss things."
Counting On was officially canceled in the wake of Josh's April 2021 arrest on child pornography charges. "@TLC- thank you for the ride🎢 I'll treasure the memories, always," Amy wrote via Instagram after the network pulled the plug on the series. "Also, I stand with the network in this decision!"
Credit: Courtesy of Amy Duggar/Instagram
September 2021
Jim Bob and Michelle's niece raised eyebrows when she shared an image of large balloons spelling out, "It's OK to cut off toxic family for your own wellbeing." In the caption of her Instagram post, Amy added, "Amen & Amen. It's not easy, but necessary."
Credit: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
December 2021
As Josh's trial continued in Arkansas, Amy reflected on the "heavy" cloud around her family "until justice is served." She added in an Instagram Story, "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, I will repay thee. Please pray for the victims and for the truth to be revealed. Pray that the judge will give the ultimate sentence."
Jinger looked back at her childhood with “cousin Amy” in a May 2025 episode of her and husband Jeremy Vuolo’s podcast, noting that Amy attended school across the street from her family’s residence.
“It was kind of funny because she would come over on occasion or, like, [if] we knew she was over at the playground, [we’d scream out], ‘Amy,’ we’d try to yell,” Jinger said on the podcast episode. “I think once or twice she found her way over to our house across [the street] during recess.”
Credit: Amy Duggar/Instagram
December 2025
During a December 2025 appearance on Matt and Abby Howard’s “Unplanned” podcast, Amy described her relationships with her cousins growing up as “surface-level” because of their vastly different lifestyles.
“We never really talked about the things we were struggling with or what God was doing in our life or whatever it would be. It just wasn’t ever talked about. It was more of just like what [the Duggar family’s show 19 Kids and Counting] was doing and just how’s the weather and ‘I like your skirt’ and that kind of stuff,” she said.
As Amy’s relationship with Jill has blossomed in recent years, she’s learned what true “cousinship” is about.
“Cousinship is so much fun. Like, we can joke around and laugh and we have inside jokes,” she explained. “And just to know that, like, our [5-year-old son Daxton] is safe in their presence and that their [sons Israel, 9, Samuel, 7, and Frederick, 2] have spent the night with us. And like, we take care of them and love them and know what they like and the hobbies they have and all of that. It’s such a different way of living compared to really what we had growing up.”
Amy also revealed that she hasn’t seen most of her cousins in “years.”
“I realized I needed to have boundaries set with my family and the situation because of the lies and things that were told. Um, and it’s nothing against my cousins,” she said. “It’s just, it’s one of those things that like, I don’t want to ride a fence, you know? Like, I’m not [someone] that’s going to [be like], ‘Oh, I love you and them and everything’s great,’ ’cause it’s not.”
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