Getting started
How to Start a Family Tree: A Simple Guide for Beginners
Build your first family tree with a simple plan for names, relationships and photos.
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Start with the people you know
You do not need a box of historical records to begin. Start with yourself, then add your parents, siblings and grandparents. Your first goal is to make the relationships visible. Leave a date blank when you do not know it: an honest gap is more useful than a confident guess.
Gather five details for each person
Write down a full name, the names of parents, a birth date or approximate year, a hometown and one memory. Ask about maiden names and nicknames, which can explain why someone appears under different names in family records. Keep uncertainty in your research notes until you can check it.
Choose one branch for your first session
Work on one side of the family at a time. Ask a parent for the names of their siblings and grandparents, then ask who could help fill in the gaps. A specific question is easier to answer than a request for the entire family history. Check spellings before copying the same name into several places.
Give photographs some context
Choose five photos before tackling a whole album. Identify who is in each picture, roughly when it was taken and where it happened. Ask permission before sharing images of living relatives. Keep original files backed up separately, and label uncertain identifications instead of quietly treating them as facts.
Check connections before adding more names
Two relatives may have the same name. A hometown, partner or birth year can help distinguish them. Ask family members to review the branch you have built. Families take many forms, so describe relationships respectfully and avoid guessing a connection just to complete the diagram.
Make a small weekly habit
Spend fifteen minutes adding one person, checking one date or asking about one photograph. Your first milestone could be three generations with relationships checked. From there, the project can grow at the pace your family enjoys. A tree becomes meaningful through the details you keep returning to, not through the number of names you add in a weekend.
Build your first branch in Family Tree Builder
Family Tree Builder gives you a place to create your tree and see how relatives connect. Create a free account and start with the names you already know. Once your first branch takes shape, explore the paid plan if it fits the project you want to build. You can begin before your research is complete; seeing the connections often reveals the next question to ask.
Keep exploring: 25 Questions to Ask Your Grandparents About Family History