Family Tree Templates
A family tree turns scattered names, dates, and relationships into a single picture of where a person comes from, which is why it becomes the keepsake a family returns to for generations. These family tree templates give you the name boxes and connecting lines already arranged by generation, so you fill in the people, link the relationships, and the lineage reads from the oldest generation down. Fill in your family and watch the generations line up.
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A family tree is a diagram that traces ancestry and shows how relatives connect across generations. It records both living and deceased family members, usually with names and the dates that bracket each life, and arranges them so descent reads from the earliest generation at the top down to the most recent. Lines do the connecting, joining partners across a generation and linking parents to children between generations. The result preserves family history in a form anyone can follow without it being explained.
These family tree templates are built around that generational structure, with name boxes and connecting lines positioned so the levels stay aligned as the tree fills out. They suit the range of reasons people build one, a personal genealogy project, a school assignment on heritage, a keepsake for a reunion or a new arrival, or a record kept so younger relatives inherit the connections. You enter the people and their dates and draw the links; the template keeps each generation on its own level so the line of descent stays clear. For a more detailed record that also tracks medical or relational patterns, a genogram is the clinical relative of the family tree.
Worth knowing: Filling a tree from the oldest known generation downward, rather than starting with yourself and working back, tends to keep the levels aligned and makes gaps easier to spot. Each generation then settles onto its own row as you add the people below it.
Family tree elements
The parts a family tree is built from, and what each one records.
The boxes that each hold one individual, the unit the whole tree is built from. A full name identifies the person and anchors them to their place in the line.
The years that bracket each life, written under or beside the name. Dates pin a person to a generation and help tell apart relatives who share a name.
The lines that join two people as a couple within the same generation, marking the union that the next generation descends from.
The lines that connect a couple to their children, carrying descent from one generation to the next. They are what make the tree a record of lineage rather than a list.
The horizontal levels, each holding one generation, that give the tree its top-to-bottom order. Keeping a generation to its own row is what keeps a large tree readable.
Optional portraits and birthplaces added to a person's box, turning a record of names into something more personal and identifiable.
Filling in a family tree template
From the oldest known relatives down to the most recent generation.
Settle how far back and how wide the tree should reach, a direct line of descent or a broader tree that includes siblings, aunts, and uncles. The scope sets how many generations and boxes you will need.
Tip — A direct ancestral line stays slim and deep; adding siblings and their families widens each generation fast, so decide before you start filling boxes.
Enter the oldest known generation first and work downward. Building from the earliest ancestors keeps each level aligned and shows where a branch is still missing people.
Fill each box with a full name and the birth and, where it applies, death dates. Dates anchor each person to the right generation and separate relatives who share a name.
Tip — Recording maiden names alongside married names leaves a far clearer trail back through the mother's line later.
Join partners with a marriage link and connect each couple to their children with parent-child lines. The lines are what turn a page of names into a readable line of descent.
Drop in portraits, birthplaces, or short notes where you have them, to make the tree easier to read and more personal. These details are optional and can be added as you find them.
Set the fonts, colors, and box styling to match the occasion, from a plain research chart to a decorative keepsake. If a generation grows crowded, widen the row before shrinking the boxes.
A family tree rarely fills in all at once, and leaving a box blank where a name, date, or relative is still unknown is normal. Marking what you are unsure of, rather than guessing, keeps the record honest and shows the next person exactly where the research picks up.
FAQs
How do I make a family tree?
Start from the oldest generation you know and work downward, entering each person’s full name and their birth and death dates. Join partners with a marriage link and connect couples to their children with parent-child lines, keeping each generation on its own level. With these templates the boxes and lines are already arranged by generation, so you fill in the people and the relationships rather than drawing the structure.
What are the types of family trees?
The common forms are the ancestor tree, which starts with one person and branches upward to their ancestors, and the descendant tree, which starts with an ancestor and branches down to all their descendants. There are also fan charts that arrange generations in arcs and decorative keepsake styles built for display. The right one depends on if you are tracing a single line back or showing everyone descended from one couple.
What if I don't have complete information about my family?
An incomplete tree is the normal state, especially further back. Fill in what you can confirm, leave the unknown boxes blank or mark them as uncertain, and treat the gaps as the places research continues. Family records, older relatives, and public archives are the usual ways missing names and dates get filled in over time.
What is the difference between a family tree and a genogram?
A family tree records who descends from whom across generations, focused on names, dates, and lineage. A genogram uses the same generational layout but adds detail about the relationships and patterns between people, such as health history or the quality of connections, and is used as a professional assessment record. A family tree is the keepsake and research form; a genogram is its detailed clinical relative.
Can I add photos to these family tree templates?
Yes. Several of these family tree templates leave space for a portrait in each person’s box, and the image areas are editable so you can drop in photos where you have them. Photos and birthplaces are optional, so a plain research chart and an illustrated keepsake both work from the same structure.