What Is A Family Tree?

A family tree is basically the most common form of visually documenting one's ancestry and most family tree charts include a box for each and every individual and each box is then connected to the others to indicate the relationships. In addition to that, an individual's name, date, birthplace, and other important information is noted, depending on the desired complexity of the family tree diagram.

“Family tree”, in layman’s terms, is a generation organized into a single level so that it is easy to see at a glance which ancestors preceded which generation as they are physically above them on the family tree.

A horizontal line between two boxes means a marriage. A bracket from a couple to a lower set of the boxes means that there are children from that marriage. Although most of the family trees grow vertically, they are occasionally drawn sideways also in many places.

A family tree can be as simple or as complicated and the choice is always yours.  A simple family tree chart may include you, your parents, your siblings, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents as well. A complicated family tree chart may include you, your parents, your parents' siblings, your siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and everyone.

Now let us look at how to make a family tree chart. Read the steps below and you will know how interesting and easy it is. Also, with Apni Family Tree App, it is now much easier to make it. So don't forget to go and check it out once.

Steps To Create A Family Tree Chart

1. Gather important information about your family

Write down everything that you know, ask your family members to fill in the gaps, and then find pictures and necessary documents. Visit family search libraries and online websites and genealogy sources to search for census records, news stories, land deeds, military service, and other documents that can verify your ancestry information.

2. Draft a family tree outline

Compile all the vital information that you have with you and create an outline. You can start drawing from yourself to your ancestors, or else simply start with the oldest ancestor whom you know about and gradually trace forward to you.

3. Add details to each leaf

Each family member will be represented by a shape which will be connected by lines to represent relationships among them. Typically, a box or rectangle is used to indicate your relatives, but you can use any type of shape which you want to use. Each shape is a leaf on the tree and the shape you decide to use as leaves must be consistent to include the info that you have planned to put on your family tree chart.

4. Distribute your family tree diagram

This is literally the fun part because once you have finished with your genealogy chart or family tree diagram, you can share it with your family members. You can give them a chance to reflect on their genealogy and learn new family stories. Not just this, you can also invite them to give additional information if any. Apni Family Tree App helps you do a lot of things and eases your work so you can download the app and try it out.