What’s a family tree?

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A family tree is a map of genetically related individuals. Typically, the term is used for a family of humans, but these maps are also used extensively by biologists to examine the relationships between various animals. The name comes from the branching nature of a genetic map, which is often drawn to look like a tree. Genealogists also use them and they are often provided at the front of biographies and other books on the history of a group of related individuals.

As a visual reference, a family tree is an excellent way to think about the connections between individuals, especially in large families. Historians often create them, especially when looking at the history of royal dynasties, to follow the paths of loyalty and relationship between various nations. It can illustrate what exactly a second cousin is, for example, or show the precise relationship between an individual and his great-aunt. In historical situations where families tended to intermarry, the tree can sometimes be confusing and linear nature is corrupted by lines that seem to sprout in all directions.

In genetics, this type of map can be used to track genetic traits and find common threads between various animals. It is also an organizational technique, allowing scientists to organize animals into common groups or to follow branches of the animal family from kingdom down to species. Family trees have been used in genetics since the time of Gregor Mendel to help uncover connections that may not be apparent through casual observation. A map can be used to keep everything straight, which can be challenging in some fields of science.

For individuals, a family tree shows a family’s connections and history. Many people are proud of their relationships with famous historical figures and are happy to have a tree that illustrates this point. It can serve as a little family history lesson, showing the various countries of origin of different family members, along with what children they had and when they lived. It can also serve as a reminder, because seeing the family member’s name can bring up other pieces of the individual’s story, such as what they did that was unique or extraordinary.

To build one, many people work themselves like a “trunk” at the bottom of the page. Family ties can be entered, starting with parents and siblings. The parents of the parents are involved, and so on, until the page is filled with individuals who are related to the trunk in one way or another. Many young students are asked to create a family tree as an interactive exercise to get them excited about history, genetics, and people from their past.

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