Making family tree charts in Family Tree Maker
Family Tree Maker generates charts from your data rather than filling in templates. Pick the chart type that matches what you want to show, set the generations, then fix the printing, which is where most people get stuck.
- Applies to
- FTM 2024 · 2019 · 2017 · 2014
- Platform
- Windows & macOS
- Time
- ~15 min
Which chart type to use
Each chart answers a different question. Choosing the wrong one causes most of the layout problems people then try to fix.
| Chart | Shows | Best for | Generations per sheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedigree | Direct ancestors of one person | The classic ancestors chart | 4, or 5 at reduced size |
| Descendant | Everyone descended from one couple | Reunions and wide families | 3 to 4, depending on family size |
| Fan | Ancestors arranged in arcs | Framing, and fitting depth on one page | 6 to 7 |
| Hourglass | Ancestors and descendants together | Placing one person in full context | 3 up, 3 down |
| Bowtie | Both parental lines side by side | Comparing maternal and paternal lines | 4 each side |
Descendant charts grow sideways without limit. A family with several large sibling groups produces a chart metres wide at four generations, which is why they print badly more often than any other type.
Choosing how many generations to show
Generation count drives everything else. Each extra generation roughly doubles the width of a pedigree chart.
- Four generations. You, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. Fifteen boxes. Prints on one sheet and stays readable.
- Five generations. 31 boxes. Fits with a smaller font, or in landscape orientation.
- Six or more. Switch to a fan chart, or accept multi-sheet printing.
Start smaller than you think. Generate a four-generation chart first and check it reads well. Adding a generation takes one click; rescuing an unreadable twelve-generation chart takes an afternoon.
Getting a large chart to print without cutting off
Charts cut off because the chart is wider than the paper. Work through these in order.
Switch to landscape. Page setup, orientation, landscape. This alone solves most single-sheet problems.
Reduce the generations by one and preview again. The difference between five and four is dramatic.
Shrink the boxes and the font in the chart options before changing anything else.
Use print preview every time. Preview shows the page breaks. Printing to find out wastes paper.
Export to PDF once the layout looks right. PDF handles large formats far better than sending a chart straight to a printer.
Printing a family tree poster
Home printers handle A4 and Letter. Anything larger needs a different approach.
- Export the chart to PDF at the finished size you want, rather than at page size and then scaled up.
- Take the PDF to a print shop. Most copy shops print to A0 for the price of a few coffees.
- For multi-sheet tiling at home, print with overlap margins and join the sheets afterwards.
When charts print blank or misaligned
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Blank pages at the end | Chart area extends past the content | Reset the chart layout, then adjust one setting at a time |
| Boxes overlap | Spacing reduced too far | Increase horizontal and vertical spacing |
| Names truncated | Boxes narrower than the text | Widen the boxes, or shorten the name format |
| Photographs missing | Broken media links | Relink the media. See missing media files |
| Prints tiny in one corner | Scaling set to fit page | Set scaling to 100% and allow multiple sheets |
Frequently asked questions
Which chart type should I use?
Pedigree for the ancestors of one person. Descendant for everyone from one couple. Fan when you want depth on a single sheet. Hourglass to show ancestors and descendants together.
How many generations fit on one page?
Four comfortably in a pedigree chart, five with a smaller font. A fan chart holds six or seven because the radial layout packs more in.
Why does my chart print cut off?
The chart is wider than the paper. Switch to landscape, drop a generation, or export to PDF and print across several sheets.
How do I print a poster-size tree?
Export to PDF at the finished size, then use a print shop. Printing a poster directly from the software causes tiling and scaling errors.
Are there family tree templates I can fill in?
Family Tree Maker builds charts from your data rather than using fill-in templates. You choose the chart type and the program lays it out.
Can I change the colours and fonts?
Yes. Box fill, borders, fonts and line styles are all adjustable in the chart options, and you can save a combination as a template for reuse.
Chart still not printing right?
We sort layout and print settings on a screen share. No fix, no fee.