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Step 1
Decide on the specific information you want to include in the diagram of the family tree. A basic tree includes names, birth and death dates, and marriage information. Include place names in a more detailed tree, such as birth and death place, marriage location and burial location.
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Step 2
Confirm as much information as possible through your relatives. Family members will sometimes have such items as family bibles, birth and death certificates or other public records that provide information.
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Step 3
Search public records such as census reports to gather and verify information. Though such records are available through state and federal offices and agencies, most can be accessed online through genealogy websites.
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Step 4
Start your chart on a large piece of paper or use a computer illustration program. The paper or workspace should be in landscape orientation.
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Step 5
Place your name in a box at the bottom middle of the page. Just above and to the left, draw another box and put your father's name, birth date and any other information you've chosen to include. To the right and above your box, draw another box for your mother's information.
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Step 6
Always keep the males' names to the left and the females' names to the right as you branch out from each relative. This is standard in genealogy "tree making."
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Step 7
Connect your parents' boxes to yours using lines. For example, draw a line from the center of your box and then turn it left and up again to connect with your father. Do the same for your mother, except turn your line right.
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Step 8
Draw two boxes above your father's box. Put his father's name, your grandfather, and information in the box to the left and his mother's, your grandmother, in the box to the right. Do the same for your mother's box.
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Step 9
You should have three rows, with four boxes in the third row. The fourth row will have eight boxes and this row will represent the fourth generation back from you. This row contains your four sets of great grandparents.
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Step 10
Use this basic tree form to create a family map that extends directly to you from your great grandparents. You can, or course, extend the family tree to include other relatives. Adjust the format to allow for this by adding boxes extending to the left and right.
