Discuss with your family the format for your family tree. Some family trees look like charts, with the ancestors’ information at the top and the youngest family members’ information at the bottom. Other family trees resemble tree outlines, while still others look like bow-ties.
Search online for free family tree template websites. Some of these sites have several different forms, such as family record sheets, which help you to track data about individual branches of your family. You may also find family relationships charts that allow you to track grandparents, parents and children. Timelines are also available, which allow you to include significant family history events. Pedigree charts hold information showing the relationships from ancestors down to the youngest family members. Examples of some sites include the Williams College Bailey family website and the Utah University Family website, both of which have free family tree templates available for download. The ObituariesHelp website has more than 15 family tree templates available.
Download, save and print out the family tree template you and your family have chosen. Ancestry.com has a live family tree building link; when you enter your name and the names of your older family members, the site searches for other family members. Microsoft makes family tree templates available; you and your family can choose from several formats.