How to Choose the Right Family Tree Chart Excel Template
Compare free downloads, DIY SmartArt, and paid pedigree templates. Find the best family tree chart excel template for printing, dates, and multi-page trees.
Your aunt drops a name nobody wrote down. A school project hits the kitchen table. Family reunion in two weeks — and somehow you volunteered to bring the tree.
You do not need a genealogy degree. You need a family tree chart excel template that opens in software you already use, accepts birth and marriage dates without guesswork, and prints like a chart instead of a spreadsheet with gridlines across the page.
Search results usually split three ways: free downloads (Vertex42 is the name you will see most), DIY SmartArt tutorials from sites like How-To Geek and Creately, and paid pedigree workbooks built for printing. This guide helps you match path to deadline, printer, and how much of the tree you already know.
More template advice lives in our template guides and tips.
Key takeaway: A useful family tree chart excel template saves layout time, includes standard B/M/D fields, and prints cleanly — free, DIY, and paid options each fit different projects.
Why Excel Still Works for Family Tree Charts
Excel — and Google Sheets, which opens the same .xlsx — sits on millions of desktops. Cousins fill blanks without new accounts. Teachers assign family history assuming spreadsheet access. Nonprofit volunteers running heritage events often work in tools their board already owns.
Dedicated genealogy software — Ancestry, FamilySearch integrations, Gramps — shines when you are sourcing census records across decades. An Excel pedigree chart plays a different role: it is the printable snapshot you hand out at reunions, slip into binders, or frame on a wall. Think of it as the formatted output layer, not the research database.
A proper pedigree chart starts with one person — often #1 — and branches upward through parents and grandparents. Each cell group holds structured life events, not just a name in a box. That distinction matters when you compare templates side by side.
Product highlight: PlanoNest Family Tree Chart Excel Template: 6 sheets, 4 pedigree layouts (color/B&W × portrait/landscape), standard B/M/D fields, chart numbering — $3.9 one-time.
Treat that as a checklist row when you evaluate any file, free or paid — not as industry-wide statistics.
Three Ways to Build a Family Tree in Excel
Before downloading, map your constraints: How many names do you have? Do you need dates and places, or just labels? Is this for a screen presentation or a printed poster? Answers point to one of three paths.
Free vs DIY vs Paid Pedigree Templates
| Approach | Best for | Typical cost | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free download (e.g. Vertex42) | Quick start, small trees | $0 | Limited layouts; may lack cross-page numbering |
| SmartArt / shapes DIY | One-off visual, learning Excel | $0 (time cost) | Hours of formatting; print layout fragile |
| Paid pedigree workbook | Reunions, binders, multi-page trees | $3–15 one-time | Upfront cost; best print-ready structure |
Free template sites like Vertex42 remain the default recommendation across genealogy forums and roundup posts. You get Excel or Word files covering several generations, often with portrait and landscape PDF options. For a school project or a first draft with twenty names, free is genuinely enough.
DIY with SmartArt follows the path How-To Geek and Creately document: Insert → SmartArt → Hierarchy, then add shapes for spouses and extra branches. Microsoft also offers built-in templates such as Family Tree Generator inside Excel's template gallery — worth checking before you build from scratch. SmartArt looks polished on screen. It is less ideal when you need fifty names, consistent date fields, and a chart that survives a change from letter paper to tabloid.
Paid pedigree workbooks target the reunion organizer and the family historian who wants four layout options, standard genealogy abbreviations, and chart numbers that link across pages. Prices in this category typically run from a few dollars to mid-teens for one-time downloads — no subscription required on most indie template shops.
Full SmartArt walkthrough lives in How to Create a Family Tree Chart in Excel so this page stays focused on choosing.
What to Look for in a Family Tree Chart Excel Template
Not every file labeled "family tree" follows genealogy conventions. Decorative trees with photo circles serve a different purpose than a pedigree chart you would show a county historical society. When you compare a family tree chart template excel file, run through this list before you invest an afternoon typing names.
Standard B/M/D fields. Birth, Marriage, Death — B:, M:, D: — each with date and place lines. Single "dates" fields create messy workarounds. Once you talk to older relatives, dates almost always matter. Prioritize templates built around these fields. Formatting details sit in creating a family tree chart in Excel with dates.
Chart numbering. Big families spill across pages. Numbered positions plus "Cont. on chart no." cross-references chain sheets without losing connections. Free one-pagers rarely include this; paid pedigrees often do.
Print-ready layout. Instruction column you hide before printing. Preset print areas. Layouts tested on letter paper. Column headers on the final printout? Hard pass.
Multiple orientations. Long surnames need horizontal space. Portrait for binders; landscape for walls. Color plus black-and-white in one workbook saves rebuilding when the venue changes.
Start Here sheet. Minor detail. Major time-saver when six tabs open on Monday morning.
Key takeaway: Before you download: confirm B/M/D date fields, chart numbering for multi-page trees, a hide-before-print column, and at least one portrait + one landscape sheet.
Pedigree Chart vs Decorative Family Tree
"Family tree chart" covers two artifacts. A pedigree chart traces lineal ancestors — numbered individuals, structured life events, archive-ready. A decorative tree chases visuals: photo circles, clip-art branches, fun fonts for the kids' corner.
Neither is wrong. Third-grade show-and-tell? Decorative works. Documenting your grandmother's immigration story with birthplaces and marriage records? Pedigree.
When in doubt, ask what the finished artifact needs to prove. A wall display at a reunion can tolerate missing death dates. A binder you pass to the next generation cannot.
Pros — Standard pedigree chart: Genealogy-standard B/M/D fields; numbered positions; printable for binders and archives. Cons — Decorative SmartArt tree: Faster for a pretty screen snapshot; weak on dates/places; hard to extend across pages.
Research-heavy readers: Genealogy Family Tree Template Chart for Excel goes deeper on professional format without repeating this selection guide.
Portrait vs Landscape Layouts
Layout is a printing decision. Portrait (vertical) fits 8.5×11 letter paper — binder, reunion handout, done. Landscape spreads names across wider cells — compound surnames, margin notes, display tables.
Color backgrounds pop in photos and separate generations on a display table. Black-and-white saves ink when you print thirty copies for cousins who swore they'd "fill in their branch later."
Warning: SmartArt and freeform shapes often break when you change paper size or hide gridlines — test print on letter paper before your reunion deadline.
Templates shipping both orientations skip a painful rebuild when the first layout runs out of horizontal room. Paper size, margins, hide-before-print: Letter Size Family Tree Chart Excel.
Downloadable Pedigree Charts Worth Considering
"Downloadable" sounds obvious — but the comparison that matters is instant structured download versus hunt through ad-heavy free pages versus build from SmartArt for six hours.
Instant-download shops (including template marketplaces and indie makers) deliver a complete .xlsx file after checkout. Free sites like Vertex42 deliver too, with fewer layout variants. DIY delivers flexibility at the cost of your weekend.
One paid option — transparent note: PlanoNest sells digital templates — is the Family Tree Chart Excel Template. $3.9 USD one-time (regularly $6.9):
- 6 sheets: Start Here, four chart layouts, About
- 4 pedigree layouts: Color-Portrait, Portrait (B&W), Color-Landscape, Landscape (B&W)
- B/M/D placeholders with date and place lines per individual
- Chart numbering for multi-page trees
- Works in Excel, Google Sheets, WPS Office, LibreOffice Calc
That price point sits below many marketplace alternatives while covering the layout variety free single-page files usually lack. If you only need three names for a homework assignment, free remains the rational pick. If you are printing for an event, filling dozens of B/M/D entries, and linking charts across pages, a few dollars buys back hours you would otherwise spend adjusting column widths and print areas.
Full catalog: browse all templates. Download angle: Downloadable Excel Family Tree Pedigree Chart.
What Verified Buyers Say About Structured Pedigree Templates
PlanoNest publishes reviews with verified purchase flags. Three comments show real project types — not a substitute for testing on your machine, but useful context.
David Okonkwo, a nonprofit director, organized a reunion for 80+ relatives and wanted a printed centerpiece. He chose the Color-Landscape sheet for horizontal room on longer names, filled B/M/D fields from oral family history, and left blanks that sparked conversations at the event. Color for the display copy, black-and-white for handouts — both layouts ship in the file.
Jenna Alvarez, an office manager documenting her grandmother's branch, is not a genealogy expert by her own account. She used the Portrait sheet for a standard binder, leaned on chart numbering to track connections, and appreciated the hide-before-print column so copies looked like charts rather than spreadsheets. She started with twelve names and grew past forty as research continued.
Emily Hart, a virtual assistant, built a three-generation tree for a client in one afternoon. The Start Here sheet oriented her quickly; she used Color-Portrait for the main display and Landscape for a wider branch. The B/M/D format told her exactly which questions to ask the client.
Your mileage varies with how complete your source material is. The pattern here: structured fields and layout choice matter more than fancy graphics.
More Family Tree Excel Guides in This Series
Hub page for choosing. Walkthroughs live in linked posts — no single giant scroll.
- How to Create a Family Tree Chart in Excel — SmartArt and shape methods step by step
- Creating a Family Tree Chart in Excel with Dates — B/M/D formats and date consistency
- Downloadable Excel Family Tree Pedigree Chart — Instant download vs free sites
- Genealogy Family Tree Template Chart for Excel — Research-grade pedigree format
- Letter Size Family Tree Chart Excel — 8.5×11 printing and hide-before-print tips
Making Your Final Pick
Three questions:
- Deadline — reunion this month favors download-and-fill pedigree; next semester's homework favors free.
- Data depth — names only? Decorative or simple free sheets. Dates and places? B/M/D fields non-negotiable.
- Output — screen-only? SmartArt may do. Printed binders or wall charts? Portrait/landscape pedigree with tested print area.
The right family tree chart excel template is the one you will actually finish. Free, DIY, and paid paths all produce family history worth keeping — the difference is how much formatting work you want on your side of the screen.
If a structured pedigree workbook fits your project, the Family Tree Chart Excel Template is a low-cost starting point with four print layouts and standard genealogy fields. Otherwise, grab a reputable free file, block a few hours for SmartArt, and start with the relatives whose stories you can still verify in person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft Excel include a family tree template?
Yes — partially. Excel's template gallery includes options like Family Tree Generator and photo-oriented layouts. They work for simple projects. They typically lack multi-page pedigree numbering and the full B/M/D field structure serious genealogy charts use. Many users combine Microsoft's gallery for inspiration with third-party excel template for family tree chart files for printing.
How many generations does a typical Excel pedigree chart cover?
Most single sheets cover three to five ancestral generations from the starting person — parents through great-grandparents, sometimes one more depending on cell size. Chart numbering adds pages when the tree outgrows one sheet. Confirm "Cont. on chart no." fields exist before assuming one page holds everything.
What do B:, M:, and D: mean on a pedigree chart?
Birth, Marriage, Death. Each abbreviation precedes date and place lines. Standard across genealogy forms, cemetery records, research logs — keeps your Excel chart readable to anyone in family history work.
Can I use an Excel family tree template in Google Sheets?
Typically yes. Upload .xlsx via File → Open → Upload. Layouts and tabs usually survive. Print areas may need tweaks in Google's dialog. Real upside: share with relatives, assign branches, skip attachment ping-pong.
Is a free template enough, or should I pay for one?
Free from established sites covers plenty — short trees, school work. Pay when you need multiple orientations, color and B&W variants, cross-page chart numbering, hide-before-print columns. Gap between free and a ~$4 workbook is small next to formatting time saved.
How do I connect multiple chart pages for a large tree?
Chart reference numbers. Ancestor at page one's edge continues on page two — note target chart number both places ("Cont. on chart no."). Individual #8 on chart 1 might become #1 on chart 2. Consistent numbering turns separate sheets into one navigable tree.
