Pedigree Charts in Genealogy

USING PEDIGREE CHARTS
By Karen Utter Jennings

            This week I want to talk about using pedigree charts.  These charts focus on your direct ancestral line.  Picture a tree with the central trunk and branches leading from the trunk.  Pedigree charts resemble the tree; the branches represent family members stemming from the leading family member.  Only each person’s mother and father are listed on the charts.  Pedigree charts differ from family group charts because they focus on direct lines  and only birth, death, and marriage dates.  Group sheets provide space for a family group and much more information on them. 

            Begin filling out your pedigree chart with yourself, then your father and mother, your father’s parents, and continue on displaying the line of your direct ancestors back in time.  The standard pedigree chart measures 8 ½ by 11 inches format and displays four generations.  Larger pedigree charts are available that can hold more generations, but they are not used as much as the standard size. 

            When filling out pedigree charts, assign the number 1 to yourself or the family member you are tracing on the first line.  The information on your father (or ancestor #1’s father) is entered as number two on the chart, with your mother being number three.  The male line follows the upper track, while the female line follows the bottom track.  Male ancestors are assigned the even numbers and female ancestors are assigned the odd numbers.

            When you have filled in the four generations on the chart, you will need to create additional charts for each of the individual family members on the first chart.  Pedigree charts offer an easy-to-read format that helps you keep track of your family members.  Genealogy software programs generate pedigree charts in the same standard format.