How to Create a Timeline in a Family Tree

Adding a timeline to your family tree can help you plan your research.

Creating a timeline for your family tree is a good way to map out the life events of one of your ancestors and decide where you need to focus future research. A timeline can also be a nice addition to your family history, if you are writing one. Although there are a lot of different variations of the timeline, they all begin about the same way.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Spread sheet or table
• Index cards

1. Create a table or spreadsheet with five columns. Label the columns "Date," "Age," "Event," "Location" and "Documentation." If you don't have access to a computer, start by writing the information on index cards to avoid running out of room. Then, place the index cards in order before writing the information on a single sheet of paper.

2. Record events in the table or on the index cards. Start with the most obvious events such as the birth and death dates. Then include other events such as education, military service, marriages, land transactions and any other milestones.

3. Write "c" or "ca" in front of any dates or ages you are unsure of. These are standard abbreviations for the Latin word "circa," which means "about."

4. Write the word "likely" or "probably" in front of locations you are unsure about. Recording the location is important because it will help you pinpoint where to go to look for additional information to confirm your speculations.

5. Record your documentation on a separate sheet and use abbreviated names on your timeline, especially if you have more than one source for an event. Keeping a record of your sources is important to eliminate discrepancies you may find.

6. Include only the correct ages in the age column. If you find a document that lists an age you know is incorrect, list it in the events column instead of the age column. For example, you may find a census that lists your ancestor's age as 15, but you know from her birth certificate that she was actually 16 at the time. Record 16 in the age column and write "Census says age 15" in the event column.

7. Dress up your timeline by adding pictures or significant historical events to the page. Skip this step if you are using the timeline for research purposes.

References

• Family Tree Magazine: Create a Personal Timeline
• Education.com: Making Family History Fun