Free Pedigree Chart Maker
A pedigree chart shows one person’s direct ancestors: two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents and further back. Make one online from your family tree, choose 3 to 7 generations and a print style, and download it as a PDF, PNG, JPEG or SVG. Free, with no sign-up.
Already started a tree in this browser? Open its pedigree chart.
How to make a pedigree chart
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Step 1
Add the first person
Usually yourself, or the child the chart is for. Only a name is needed.
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Step 2
Add parents, then their parents
Select a person and add a parent. Work up one generation at a time.
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Step 3
Open the chart
Choose Tools → Export and print, then “Ancestor (pedigree) chart”.
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Step 4
Pick generations and style
Choose 3 to 7 generations, birth or recorded lineage, one of eight styles and a paper size.
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Step 5
Download or print
Save a PDF, PNG, JPEG or SVG, on one page or tiled across several sheets.
How many ancestors are in each generation?
Every generation doubles the number of boxes. Choose the number of generations by how much you know and how big you will print.
| Generation | Who | People | Chart total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Parents | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Grandparents | 4 | 7 |
| 4 | Great-grandparents | 8 | 15 |
| 5 | 2× great-grandparents | 16 | 31 |
| 6 | 3× great-grandparents | 32 | 63 |
| 7 | 4× great-grandparents | 64 | 127 |
Rule of thumb: up to 4 generations on A4 or US Letter, 5 on A3 or tabloid, 6 to 7 on A2, A1 or tiled pages. The export preview shows the printed name size before you download.
Ahnentafel numbers: how genealogists count a pedigree
Genealogists often number a pedigree with the Ahnentafel system. The starting person is 1, their father is 2 and their mother is 3. For anyone numbered n, the father is 2n and the mother is 2n + 1, so your paternal grandfather is 4 and your maternal grandmother is 7.
The numbers make research notes short and unambiguous: “No. 13 was born in 1898” always means the same great-grandparent. The five-generation template numbers its boxes by generation for the same reason.
Men have even numbers and women odd numbers, except number 1, because the system was designed for a father and a mother per person. When a parent is unknown, their box and number simply stay empty; nothing is invented.
Pedigree chart or family tree?
A pedigree chart answers “where do I come from?”. It follows one person’s line upwards and has a fixed shape, which makes it easy to compare with relatives and to spot the gaps in your research.
A family tree answers “who is in our family?”. It shows partners, children, brothers, sisters and cousins, including second marriages and half siblings. Use the family tree maker view for that, a fan chart for a decorative ancestor chart, or switch between all three: the names are entered once.
Birth parents or adoptive parents?
Each pedigree can follow birth parents only, or recorded parents, which adds adoptive, foster and guardian links and labels them. Step-parents are never counted as parents. When someone has more than two recorded parents, the chart says which were left out.
When the same ancestor appears twice
If two of your ancestors were related, for example cousins who married, one person fills more than one box. This is called pedigree collapse. The chart shows them in each box and marks them “same person ×2”, so the chart stays honest and complete.
Eight styles, one set of names
Choose Classic Pedigree for a traditional ruled chart, Heritage for warm paper and serif lettering, Print Ink Saver for outlines only, or any of the other styles. Changing the style never changes the family data.
Prefer to write it by hand?
Download a free blank pedigree chart: the three-generation family tree (7 boxes) or the five-generation pedigree chart (31 boxes, best on A3). New to research? Read how to find your ancestors.
Pedigree chart questions
What is a pedigree chart?
A pedigree chart is a family tree that shows only one person’s direct ancestors: their two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents and so on. Brothers, sisters, aunts and cousins are not included, which keeps the chart compact and easy to read.
How many generations can a pedigree chart show?
Here you can choose 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 generations. Seven generations is 127 boxes, back to your 4× great-grandparents. Three or four generations fit an A4 or US Letter page; five or more read best on A3 or larger, or tiled across several sheets.
What is the difference between a pedigree chart and a family tree?
A pedigree chart follows one line of ancestors upwards, two parents per person. A family tree shows a whole family: partners, children, brothers and sisters, cousins and in-laws. This editor makes both from the same names, so you only type your family once.
Can a pedigree chart include adopted ancestors?
Yes. Choose “Birth parents” to follow biological links, or “Recorded parents (incl. adoptive)” to follow adoptive, foster and guardian links as well. Step-parents are never treated as parents.
What does “same person ×2” mean on my chart?
It marks an ancestor who appears in more than one box, which happens when two of your ancestors were related, for example cousins who married. The person is shown in every place they belong and labelled, instead of being hidden or duplicated silently.
Can I print a blank pedigree chart?
Yes. Download the free three-generation or five-generation pedigree template as a PDF and fill it in by hand, or type the names online and print the finished chart.
Is the pedigree chart maker free?
Yes. Building the tree, the chart and every download are free, with no sign-up. A small “Made with” line is printed at the bottom, and you can switch it off.
Can I make a pedigree chart from a GEDCOM file?
Yes. Import the .ged file from another genealogy program (Tools → Import GEDCOM), then open Export and print and choose the pedigree chart. Your original file is not changed.
Make your pedigree chart now
Start with yourself, add your parents and grandparents, and download a chart you can print, frame or send to relatives.