Basics of Making a Family History Chart – Your Pedigree

By Jeff Sallee

Whether you create it for display or simply for your own reference during research, a family history chart is a vital part of any genealogist’s project; creating a chart will organize your family tree into an easy to read format. Consisting of a series of interconnected boxes filled with basic information about each member you have researched in your family. Creating one of your own is an easy and fun part of your project; if your goal is to involve your family in the project, consider recruiting your children to help out with the more artsy side of creating the chart!

Most people would associate the word “pedigree” with the lineage of animals; however, your pedigree is simply the lineage from which you are directly descended. A chart that details your pedigree will start with you and trace your ancestors back from your parents to the earliest relatives that you are able to research. With the pedigree tracing only direct descent, it is the most simple of charts to create.

The pedigree chart is often referred to as a family tree, so named because of the shape formed by the addition of relatives; your details would represent the trunk of the tree, with the name of your ancestors branching out to form a shape resembling a tree. Although there are several additional shapes and types of charts used for tracking genealogy, the family tree is most commonly used because of the ease of creation. Before you get started on creating your family history chart, you should decide whether you want to create one from scratch, or take advantage of one of the many templates available on the internet.

Should you make the decision to use a template, you need only fill in the blank spaces; there are several software programs to help ensure that your family history chart is as complete and well presented as possible. The built-in wizards that the programs offer will walk you through every step in the process.

If your preference is to create your own chart without the aid of software, you will need large surface on which to create it, whether that be paper or poster board, along with pencils (colored pencils too if you wish to get a bit more creative) and a ruler to help you nearly measure and create your straight lines. You can start your chart at the top, the bottom, or the left side of the page; it depends purely on your personal preference. You, and your details, will always be the starting point of your family history chart. Be sure to work, initially, in pencil so that you can easily erase and redo data as you learn new details. If you already know that you are going to create a chart depicting ten generations, then you can carefully measure and space your boxes so that your chart maintains a consistent look to it.

A simple family history chart can be made into a work of art with by incorporating calligraphy or other artistic touches; it is entirely up to you. After all, it’s your pedigree!

Jeff Sallee is a hopeless genealogy enthusiast and also the author of “Family Tree Secrets: Guide to Creating Your Own Family Tree”. Jeff truly enjoys helping others get started in this satisfying pursuit. For more information regarding his ebook or to see other articles on family history charts check out: http://www.SecretsOfGenealogy.com.

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