Family tree

A family tree is generally the totality of one's ancestors represented as a tree structure, or more specificaly, a chart used in genealogy. The purpose of the family tree is to show the family connections between individuals, consisting of the individuals' names (usually accompanied by dates, and often also places and occupations) connected by various types of line representing marriages, extra-marital unions, and progeniture. Some use the term only for charts showing strict patrilineal descent, although in common usage the term is used much more generally.

Family trees may also be called pedigree charts.

In situations where one is restricted to using plain text, it is often easier to show a person's ancestry using an Ahnentafel rather than a tree.

For a particularly complex example of a family tree, see family tree of the Greek gods.

The image of the tree probably originated with one in medieval art of the Tree of Jesse, used to illustrate the Genealogy of Christ in terms of a prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah, 11, 1).

See also

• WikiProject Family Tree
• Consanguinity
• Genealogical numbering systems
• Family history
• GEDCOM
• List of family trees
• Wikipedia:Family trees

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