Genealogy Basics
Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets: How to Keep Your Research Organized
Every family tree starts as a few names on the back of an envelope. Within a few weeks it's dozens of people, and without a system it becomes a pile of notes nobody else can follow. Genealogists have used the same two forms for generations because they work.
The pedigree chart: your map
A pedigree chart shows only your direct line: you, your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, and so on. Each person appears once, with birth, marriage and death dates and places.
It's your map. One glance shows which ancestors you know and where the gaps are.
The numbering system
Most pedigree charts use a standard numbering system (sometimes called Ahnentafel, German for "ancestor table"):
| Number | Person |
|---|---|
| 1 | You |
| 2 | Your father |
| 3 | Your mother |
| 4–5 | Your father's father and mother |
| 6–7 | Your mother's father and mother |
| 8–15 | Your great-grandparents |
The rule: a person's father is double their number, and their mother is double plus one. Men always have even numbers and women odd numbers (except number 1). Once you know the rule, you can find anyone on the chart without looking.
The family group sheet: the detail
A family group sheet covers one couple and all of their children, not just your direct ancestor. For each person it records:
- Full name (women under their maiden names)
- Birth date and place
- Marriage date, place and spouse
- Death date and place, and burial place
- The source for each fact
Brothers and sisters matter. Your ancestor's sibling may have the death certificate that names their parents, or the obituary that lists where everyone lived.
Recording dates, places and names
Consistent habits now prevent confusion later:
- Dates: day, abbreviated month, full year: 12 Mar 1888. This avoids mixing up 3/12 and 12/3.
- Places: smallest to largest, using the name at the time: town, county, state, country. (Many counties changed boundaries; note that.)
- Names: as recorded, with the surname often written in capitals (Mary Catherine IRICK) so it stands out.
- Unknowns: leave them blank or write "unknown." Don't guess in the main record. Put guesses in your notes, clearly marked.
Always record the source
This is the habit that separates a family tree from a family story. For every fact, write where it came from: the record, the date, the place, and where you found it (website, archive, family Bible owned by whom). When two records disagree, and they will, your sources tell you which one to trust.
Paper or software?
Either works. Free charts and family group sheets are easy to find to print. Genealogy software and online trees (FamilySearch has a free one) do the same job and draw the charts for you. Many people keep both: the online tree for searching and sharing, and paper for thinking.
Add the faces
A pedigree chart with photos next to the names is what makes the rest of the family pay attention. Scan the photos of your direct ancestors and keep them with your charts.
Want the whole method?
The Heritage 250 Research Skills Bundle is the method I use: weighing evidence, documenting a lineage-society line, and dating and identifying old family photographs. One-time $67.
See the Heritage 250 bundle