Are you curious about your family history? Have you ever wondered where your ancestors came from, or what they did for a living? Perhaps a child in your family wants help finding out more? If so, creating a family tree is for you!
We’ve gathered some info to help you get started on your very own tree. Take a look at our step-by-step process of how to make a family tree.
What is a family tree?
Family trees are a way to document, explore and visualize your family history. They can help you learn about your ancestors, their lives, and their stories.
They can include basic information like names and birthdates, or they can include more detailed information like occupations, religions, and immigration records.
What are the benefits of making a family tree?
- They can help you connect with your family history and gain a deeper understanding of your roots.
- They help you discover new relatives and connect with distant ones.
- Family trees can also be helpful for future generations, providing records of family history for years to come.
Can I make one for free?
Of course, you can! There are many free sites online that can help you trace our family. There are also free templates to help you document and build your family tree.
Canva has a free family tree maker equipped with customizable templates. It’s a user-friendly site that’ll help create a visual map of your family.
Top 5 sites for making a family tree
Here are the top 5 sites to help when making a family tree
- MyHeritage
MyHeritage is the best overall, as you can create your own online family tree, search billions of records, find new relatives, and even take a MyHeritage DNA test to help you trace living relatives.
- Ancestry
Ancestry is fantastic for discovering your family’s past. You enter all the details about yourself that you know, and Ancestry offers pop-up hints to help you fill in the missing pieces.
- FamilySearch
FamilySearch is a great site to search for a specific ancestor and search through records.
- WikiTree
WikiTree is a site with the aim of building the human family tree, not individual trees. You’ll upload your profile, and the information is integrated into the worldwide family tree.
- Canva
Canva has free family tree maker templates. It’s a brilliant and fre site as it’s not complicated software, so anyone can really start building their tree and add photos.
Step-by-step: How to make a family tree
Step #1 – Gathering detailed family history information
- Interview family members, especially the older members
- Collect in-person/online records
Before you start creating your family tree, there are a few things you’ll need to gather. First, you’ll need to collect basic information about your immediate family members, such as their full names, birthdates, and birthplaces. You’ll also want to collect family records, such as marriage certificates, obituaries, and photos.
If you’re looking for a touching gift to give to a family member, why not make them a DIY birthday yearbook with the pictures you’ve documented?
Step #2 – Genealogy websites for added research
- Sign up and search genealogy websites
There are many genealogy websites available that can help you with your research, with many offering free searches. They allow you to search for records and documents related to your ancestors, such as birth and death certificates, and immigration records. There are also tools to help you build and organize your family tree.
Step #3 – Organizing your family tree
- Draw a basic family tree outline
- Add information to each leaf
Organizing your family tree is an important step in the process. You’ll want to start by creating a basic outline of your family tree, including the names and birthdates of your immediate family members.
From there, you can add more detailed information, such as marriage and death dates. There are loads of free sites and templates that can help you start and grow your tree.
Step #4 – Adding photos and documents to your family tree
- Upload and add photos and documents
You can include photos of your ancestors, as well as documents like birth certificates, marriage licenses, and military records. This will help you create a more complete picture of your family history.
Have you found memorable photos of your family? Here’s a fun way to turn a couple of family photos into a beautiful gift with an accordion photo box.
Step #5 – Sharing your family tree with others
- Share on genealogy websites, social media or frame it!
Once you’ve created your family tree, you can share it with your family. This can be a great way to connect with distant relatives, learn more about family history, and even add a couple of leaves to your tree.
People often share their family trees on genealogy websites and their social media so more people can see and connect with them. Alternatively, use MyPostcard to upload your family tree and have it printed and sent to you and family members as a poster.
Comments are closed.