A pedigree chart is a list that shows your parents, grandparents and great grandparents. You can expand the chart to show as many of your great grandparents as you can determine. You may find it difficult to list ancestors beyond your great grandparents. This depends on how much information you can obtain.
Start with the information that your immediate family members have. Has someone in your family already completed a pedigree chart of their own? You may find that someone else in your immediate family has done the majority of the work that you were about to do. If you can obtain that, you’ll just want to check the facts and then continue where they left off.
Within a pedigree chart, you’ll be asked for the following information:
*Full name of relative
*When the relative was born
*Where the relative was born
*Where the relative married
*When the relative died
*Where the relative died
*Where the relative was buried
You may be able to find some of the information you are looking for in your own home. Do you have a Bible that was passed down to you from your grandparents? Do you have a file of old marriage certificates, birth and death certificates or other old paperwork? Check these items for the dates and places that you may be missing.
For years, families have recorded names, dates and places in their family Bible. They may also keep newspaper clippings of obituaries, wedding announcements and birth announcements. All of these are good sources of accurate information.
You can obtain a blank pedigree chart from the Family Search website.
Creating your pedigree chart will give you a good start on researching your family tree. This is a basic chart and you will obtain useful information. If you decide that you want to explore more of your family history, you can add other charts such as a family group record.
You can also obtain a blank family group record from the Family Search website.
Related Articles:
Managing Your Family Tree Online
Identifying Relatives in an Old Photo