An ancestor chart is the best way to visualise a family tree. A chart can be designed to suit the family. Charts can be structured in many different ways, including:

  • All the ancestors of a single person
  • All the descendants of a single ancestor
  • An ‘hourglass’ chart of all the ancestors and descendants of a single person or couple

Sheens chart

Most charts are top down but they can also be left-to-right as is the chart on the left, which takes up less space. They can include photos, either within the box for each person or anywhere on the page. They can be printed to almost any size, in colour, and framed or laminated.

The box chart is the most common. Each person can display a name and dates and places of birth, marriage and death. An occupation and arrival of immigrants can also be included. Other forms include the fan chart and pre-printed charts with a background tree illustration, filled in by hand and added to as research progresses.

Charts are created from the database of the family tree. They can therefore be regenerated as new information is found.

This is an hourglass chart, created in draft form for a client. The colours represent the different countries of birth of each person.

Langford chart