How to Complete Pedigree Charts and Family Group Records

You may find free Pedigree Charts and Family Group sheets at http://byubroadcasting.org/ancestors/charts/. Once you have printed out these forms, please use the "back" button on your browser to return to this page.

THE PEDIGREE CHART

A Pedigree Chart is a form that shows a person's direct ancestors. The standard chart shows five generations.To complete this form, write down your name (or the person you are researching) on line No. 1. Put down the person's birth date, place of birth, marriage date (if applicable,) place of marriage, death date (if applicable,) and place of death.

List the person's parents on lines # 2 & 3. Line # 2 will be the father; line # 3 will be the mother. Then continue to list the grandparents, great-grandparents and 2nd great-grandparents.

Each person on the list is connected to his or her parents by a line. The father is always the name on top; the mother the name on the bottom. A simple rule to remember is that a the number on the chart for a person's father is double that person's number; the number on the chart for a person's mother is double the person's number plus one.

You can use more than one chart to list additional generations. For example, lets say you create a chart and label it chart # 1. You can show the extend generations of person no. 16 by putting him on chart #2 as person no. 1 and referencing that "person # 1 is no. 16 on chart no. 1."

THE FAMILY GROUP RECORD

Another form is the Family Group Record which shows a couple and their children. This is self explanitory. Complete the information for the father, mother, their parents and their children in the applicable places.