Family Tree Charts and Templates

Often in the past I have been questioned about my great grand uncle or my grand aunt, and these questions always stumped me because I had never bothered to ask the older members about members of the family who weren’t present any more. I thought that I would always shrug my shoulders and say, "I don’t know." One evening when I had nothing to do I began looking through my mother’s collection of magazines. It was then that I saw this beautiful family tree chart that had been sewn onto a sheet. It had been gifted by a mother to a daughter on her wedding day. That page in the old magazine changed my life, today I do have a family tree chart hanging in my study and yes, I am able to say "Are you talking about aunt Jane, well she was a doctor, imagine being one all those years ago…. blah, blah!"

What is the history of the family tree?

A family tree is in the ikon of the tree and most probably began with one of the medieval arts of the Tree of Jesse, which was used to illustrate the Genealogy of Christ in terms of the prophecy of Isaiah. The first instance in which the family tree was shown in a non-Biblical personification were several family trees of the classical gods in the Genealogy of the Gods of the Gentiles.

A Family Tree – What is it?

Actually a family tree is the totality of one’s ancestors who are represented as a tree structure or chart used in genealogy.

Family Tree Charts

Making a family tree is like taking a walk down memory lane. You can make it a mesmerizing pastime or a full time obsession…the choice is yours! With the changes that have been wrought in technology, making a family tree chart has been simplified to a large extent. Let us now see the various methods used to make a chart.

• Use your own creativity
  When was the last time you picked up a pen or pencil and actually sketched something? Well! It is never too late to draw the basic connections in a line-and-box format or you can get more creative and use all kinds of embellishing. You can also stick to the tree format and use the roots for leaves for the ancestors and roots for descendants. To lessen the load, you can also print out a family tree template from the various websites that have them in different designs.
• Software to the rescue
  There are various software programs that offer basic computer-generated family tree charts. To make the results that are generated by these software better you can also opt for the add-on programs. These kinds of programs work simultaneously with the new genealogy software.
• Avail the services of a chart printing service
  The service mentioned above is very good for people who want pretty family trees for family reunions but would like to avoid the intricacies associated with it. Chart printing services specialize in printing large family trees that are available in color as well as black and white.
• Simplify the task with pre-printed charts
  Life is certainly simplified with the help of pre-printed charts. These charts are available in a wide range that is easy to display. You will find rose-covered fan charts and a host of others like this. Downloading these charts is also possible!
• Visit a designer
  Yes, you read it right! There are a large number of artists and calligraphers who can make your family tree on parchment or other materials. Elaborate designs and hand-drawn letters add to the beauty of the family tree chart.

Family Tree Templates

This is certainly a good way for you to begin making your genealogy chart. Family tree templates often come with instructions, which explain how to fill in each rectangle, even details like whose name and what information needs to be filled, is provided. These templates are surely a boon for people who haven’t a clue about family trees and the method used to go about it. Apart from the Internet, you can also pick up family tree templates from the bookstore or the office supply store.

So all the best on your endeavor, remember to always cherish the memories!