A Review of The Different Family Tree Charts

In conventional terms, a family tree is a chart or a diagram of a family’s ancestry or lineage, which depicts or shows the members of a family, and their relationship to each other. A family tree also includes the dates of birth, marriage and death of each family member. There are different types of family trees today, and depending on your personal preferences, you can create a tree which includes all your relatives and their spouses, and may also include your friends and neighbors. Here’s a look the the different family tree charts that are popularly used today. 

Mapping A Family Tree Requires Close Attention To Detail

The process of tracing your family’s geneaology can at times be a confusing or frustrating activity. Determining who you are, and where you came from, involves devoting a lot of research, patience and close attention to detail. Before you begin the  quest for tracing your family’s roots, you need to know that not all family trees are the same, and each one offers a different route or timeline. 

Different Family Treet Charts

- Pedigree Family Chart

The Pedigree family chart is also called the Ascendancy or Direct Lineage chart. The pedigree family chart is probably the most common family tree types used by a lot of people. In a pedigree family tree chart, you, or a parent or grandparent, are the starting point, and a single bloodline or family name follows through generations as far as you can trace. If you’re looking your father or mother’s bloodline, the pedigree family chart should start with you, and then your parents come next, and both sets of grand parents come next, and down goes four sets of great grandparents, and so forth. 

- Family Lineage Tree Chart 

A family lineage tree chart is almost the same as the pedigree family tree. However, one difference is evident, because in the family lineage chart, the siblings of your direct lineage or pedigree are also included. On this family chart, you include your uncles and aunts, great uncles and aunts and so forth. The family lineage tree provides a more complete picture of the family, and won’t simply focus on a person’s direct bloodline.  This type of family chart is truly helpful for those who are trying to identify family members, and for keeping their ancestors organized. The family lineage tree is also great for verifying relationships between members of your bloodline and their siblings.

- Descendant Family Tree Chart

The descendant family tree chart begins with a family member or ancestral couple who dates far back  in the family history, and lists the desccendants of the ancestral couple by generation, until it reaches the present. This family chart is best for illustrating all known  descendants in all the bloodlines in the family. 

Tracing your family’s lineage can be an exciting and interesting activity. However, it can also be a frustrating and mind-boggling task. There will be times where you’ll suddenly find interesting facts and tidbits, but there will also be occasions where you’ll be facing a blank wall in your search for descendants. Make sure you keep track of all details, from the names, dates and places, so you’ll be less confused with searchng for your family’s ancestral roots.  
