Ancestor chart template (pedigree chart)
An ancestor chart — genealogists call it a pedigree chart — answers one question: who do I come from? It puts you at the base and branches upward through your parents and grandparents. Unlike a family tree, it deliberately leaves out siblings, aunts and cousins, because they are not your ancestors.
That restraint is the point. Every generation doubles: two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents. Because the shape is so predictable, an ancestor chart shows you instantly which branch you know nothing about — the blank cards are the research plan.
Ancestor chart template (pedigree chart)
Seven people across three generations: you, your two parents, and your four grandparents.
Who it's for
- Genealogy research, where the goal is direct ancestry rather than the whole family.
- Anyone starting to trace their origins and wanting to see which branch is missing.
- DNA test results, which report ancestry along exactly these lines.
How to fill it in
Put yourself at the base and work upward. Fill in your two parents, then their parents.
Record maiden names for every woman in the chart. Genealogy runs on maiden names — a married surname hides the family you are trying to follow.
Add birth years and birthplaces. These two facts are what let you find someone in a record archive later.
Leave unknown ancestors blank rather than guessing. A blank card is a research target; a guessed name is a wrong turn you will follow for years.
Extend upward to great-grandparents when you are ready. The chart doubles at each level and keeps its shape.
Tips
Each empty card is a question with an answer somewhere — birth certificates and marriage records are the usual next step.
Do not delete an ancestor you cannot name. Keep the card, leave the name empty, and record what you do know about them.
Frequently asked questions
A pedigree chart shows only your direct ancestors — parents, grandparents, and so on upward. A family tree also shows siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. A pedigree chart is narrower on purpose.
Because everyone has two biological parents. You have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, and 1,024 ancestors ten generations back — which is why ancestor charts get wide very quickly.
Leave the name empty and keep the card. The position in the chart is itself information, and an honest blank is far more useful later than a placeholder you invented.