How to Construct a Pedigree Chart
A standard pedigree chart illustrates a person's lineage, showing parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents. It is a common tool used by genealogists and family historians to chart their research. Today, there are software programs and genealogy websites that allow users to enter data and automatically generate pedigree charts. It is also possible to start a pedigree chart the old-fashioned way: with paper and pencil. While it is a genealogist's goal to create a pedigree chart spanning many generations, most people should begin by creating a pedigree chart illustrating four generations.
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Instructions
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Turn the paper horizontally, so that it is 14 inches wide.
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Divide the paper into four columns of equal size. Each column represents a generation, with the first generation, or subject, at the far left column, and the subject's great-grandparents in the far right column.
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Divide the paper into eight rows of equal size. The rows and columns should create equally sized rectangles on the paper.
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Write the full name of the first generation subject in the middle of the far left column at the fourth and fifth rectangular. If you are making your own pedigree chart, you are the first generation subject.
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Write the full name of the subject's father in the column directly to the right of the far left column, in the third rectangle from the top of the page.
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Write the full name, including the maiden name, of the subject's mother in the column directly to the right of the far left column, in the sixth rectangle from the top of the page. In each generation, always list the father in the same column as the mother, with the father listed above the mother in the column.
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Write the full name of the subject's paternal grandfather in the third column from the left, in the second rectangle from the top of the page. Write the paternal grandmother's full name in the rectangle directly below the paternal grandfather's rectangle.
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Write the full name of the first person's maternal grandfather in the third column from the left, in the sixth rectangle from the top of the page. Write the maternal grandmother's full name in the rectangle directly below the paternal grandfather's rectangle.
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Write the full name of the paternal grandfather's father in the far right column, in the rectangle at the top of the page. Write the full name of the paternal grandfather's mother in the rectangle directly below the paternal grandfather's father.
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Write the full name of the paternal grandmother's father in the far right column, in the third rectangle from the top of the page. Write the full name of the paternal grandmother's mother in the rectangle directly below the paternal grandmother's father.
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Write the full name of the maternal grandfather's father in the far right column in the fifth rectangle from the top of the page. Write the full name of the maternal grandfather's mother in the rectangle directly below the maternal grandfather's father.
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Write the full name of the maternal grandmother's father in the far right column, in the seventh rectangle from the top of the page. Write the full name of the maternal grandmother's mother in the rectangle directly below the maternal grandmother's father.
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Add the date and place of birth, marriage and death, in that order, for each person on the chart, directly under the individual's name.
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14
Draw a line connecting each parent to his or her child. Note that parents are in the column directly to the right of the child.
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References
- Photo Credit family tree image by Judy Ben Joud from Fotolia.com
