You must have made a family tree back in school. Exploring your genealogy is fun and helps you feel closer to your family. But there is much more to it.
As a researcher, I come across dozens of family trees with medical information and cultural insights every day. As you go forward, these charts become complex and intricate. And, making them requires a proper understanding of the different genealogy structures and their purpose.
Not sure where to begin? Don’t worry. Here are a few family tree examples, from basic to advanced. You may also like my suggestions on how to format them better for visual appeal and understanding.
In this article
What is a Family Tree?
A family tree visually represents a person’s lineage and maps out the familial relations to a common ancestor. Like an org chart, these diagrams have a tree-like structure, with the starting individual branching into generations. Each leaf in a branch shows a family member.
The first genealogy chart can be traced back to the 11th century as a manuscript. Throughout history, family trees were used as a fun-time activity for the elite. With the Industrial Revolution, the general public gained access to these diagrams and used them to explore their roots.
Today, people use them to record events and individuals that make up their family’s history. But that’s not it. With detailed insights about ancestry, these charts are resourceful for professionals like anthropologists, educators, researchers, and data collectors.
Family Tree Examples (& Tips to Design Them Better)
Confused about the different structures of genealogy charts? Dive right in for family tree examples. Some of them are free, so download and edit them in EdrawMind.
Simple Family Tree
below. 
below. This simple family tree has a distinguished mind map-like structure with spider branches and images. It showcases a small household with parents, grandparents, and kids. Such a format works better in portraying nuclear families, as it does not support a set hierarchical authority.
Inverted Family Tree
Here comes an unconventional family tree chart. The content of this chart starts from the bottom with arrows directing upward. The example mimics a mind map structure with labels to clarify each generation. Also, the color-coated categories help the flow of the diagram.
Three Generation Family Tree
This one is a playful take on a simple three-generation family tree. Despite using a top-down hierarchy, it features supplementary notes to assist the viewer. The chart is an excellent way to plot multigenerational households living under the roof.
Four Generation Family Tree
Yet another straightforward vertical family tree depicting four generations. This tree diagram focuses on extended relatives and kins. It is an easy way to explore your genetic lineage. Such an example helps understand how relation clusters work in more complex charts.
Five Generation Family Tree
The five-generation family trees are usually only text, as there is much work to follow up. The structured representation of this family gives it a clear and professional outlook. What’s even better is that it uses labels and not names, which is more effective in portraying relations.
Complex Family Tree
Just by looking at it, you can tell how complicated yet well-organized this chart is. Though it only covers six generations, its size and the complexity of relationships make it hard to plot. But, what’s good is the clearly-defined connections and cross-linkages to guide the viewer.
Ancestry Family Tree
This ancestry family tree example illustrates the eight descendants of the Sima Fang. The top-down layout with labeled connections makes it easy to follow, even for a novice. Educators, anthropologists, and researchers use descendant charts to represent influential historical families.
Genesis Family Tree
This Genesis genealogy chart gives you insight into the framework around the Book of Genesis. It mainly elaborates on Noah and their descendants up to Racheal and Leah, in a vertical layout. You will also see a few cross-linkages to better understand the relationship dynamics.
Elvis Presley Family Tree
Here comes the infamous Elvis Presley family lineage example, following the hourglass structure. The reference individuals (Elvis and Priscilla) appear in the center with parents above and children below them. It further uses visual cues to better inform viewers about the relationships.
Kennedy Family Tree
This family tree design illustrates the Kennedy family. Starting from Joseph Patrick Kennedy, the family is big, but the connections are simple and direct. Hence, the vertical layout is coherent and unified. Moreover, the creator has used colors to differentiate between generations.
Jane Family Tree
This example is similar to the fishbone structure discussed above. The only difference is the absence of a fish image. The content starts from right to left and takes advantage of annotations for better comprehension. These examples are helpful for academic projects that involve tracing genetic lineage.
Dana Family Tree
The Dana family tree is another standard version of a top-down genealogy chart. This diagram has a straightforward hierarchy with color-coated categories. Because the details tend to confuse the viewers, the creator has used labels to clarify things.
Wei Family Tree
Let’s talk about this complex pedigree chart. It covers five generations in a left-to-right fashion. At first glance, it gives you a quick summary of the ancestral relationships within the Wei family. Researchers use such charts to explore the lineage of prominent figures from history.
Dart Family Tree
A new type of family tree, the fan chart. Typically, it has the starting individual in the center, with ancestors branching out in a circular direction. At first sight, it is understandable and can cover up to five generations. You may like this for an all-in-one chart with descendants and cousins.
Orlandaria Family Tree
Another example of a vertical family tree, with the youngest members on the bottom and ancestors going upward. But the attention to detail is commendable. Here, visual elements like priority numbers, clipart, and labels significantly improve the chart’s coherence.
Family Tree Mind Map
This family chart also has the mind map flexibility. Though it uses one color for all generations, the clarity and visual appeal are remarkable. It uses a left-to-right flow with a clear-cut hierarchy within an extended family. However, handling such a format is tricky for a beginner.
Make Your Family Tree Now
Bingo, 16 family tree examples to help trace your genealogy and get to know your roots better. But does that solve the problem?
Sadly, no. Just looking at a few examples does not make you an expert at designing family charts. It demands uninterrupted practice. So where to begin? Starting with the paper is not going to help. It’s exhausting with no scope for revisions, relation updates, and zero graphic sense.
And, though tools like Word and PowerPoint are a hit, they are another level of effort. Making structures from scratch and upgrading genealogy in these tools is not easy and takes a lot of your time.
The only wise way out is a family tree maker like EdrawMind, with ample space to brainstorm, gather your thoughts, and map out the right structure. Its research assistant and ready-to-customize templates further help simplify the process.
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