How to Create a Family Tree Chart in Excel

A school project lands Friday. A reunion organizer needs something printable by next week. You already have Excel — or Google Sheets, which opens the same files — and you want a family tree chart in Excel without signing up for genealogy software.

This guide walks through three DIY paths: built-in templates, SmartArt hierarchy, and custom shapes with connectors. Each fits a different tree size and deadline. Still deciding between DIY and a ready-made pedigree workbook? The pillar guide How to Choose the Right Family Tree Chart Excel Template compares free downloads, SmartArt, and paid templates in one place.

More spreadsheet guides live in our template guides and tips.

Key takeaway: You can create a family tree chart in Excel three ways: built-in templates for speed, SmartArt for on-screen hierarchy, or shapes for custom branches — pick based on how many names you need and whether the chart must print cleanly.

Choose Your Build Method First

Before clicking Insert, match the method to your constraints.

Three Ways to Build a Family Tree in Excel

Method	Best for	Time	Print quality
Built-in template	Quick start, 3–4 generations	15–30 min	Good if template includes print area
SmartArt hierarchy	Screen presentations, small trees	30–60 min	Fragile when resizing paper
Shapes + connectors	Custom branches, non-standard families	1–3 hours	Depends on your layout skill

Built-in templates ship layout and placeholder boxes. Microsoft’s gallery includes options like Family Tree Generator and photo-oriented layouts. Third-party sites such as Vertex42 also offer free .xlsx downloads — handy when you want more generations than Microsoft’s defaults.

SmartArt builds a visual hierarchy inside the sheet. Tutorials from How-To Geek and Creately follow this path. SmartArt looks polished on screen. It struggles when you need dozens of names or strict genealogy fields.

Shapes and connectors give full control — stepparents, adopted branches, sideways cousins — at the cost of manual alignment. Budget an afternoon.

Method 1 — Start from Excel's Built-In Templates

Fastest route when the tree stays small and decorative fields are enough.

Use Excel's Built-In Family Tree Templates

Open the template gallery — In Excel, go to File → New (or use the search bar on the start screen) and type "family tree" or "Family Tree Generator."
Pick a layout — Choose a built-in design such as Family Tree Generator or Photo Family Tree; click Create to open a new workbook.
Enter names — Click each placeholder box and type names generation by generation, starting from the youngest person or the focal ancestor depending on the template design.
Adjust and save — Resize text if needed, then save as .xlsx. Upload to Google Sheets via File → Open → Upload if relatives need to collaborate.

Built-in templates rarely include standard genealogy abbreviations (B:, M:, D:) or cross-page chart numbers. For birth, marriage, and death dates with consistent formatting, see creating a family tree chart in Excel with dates.

Method 2 — Build with SmartArt Hierarchy

SmartArt suits presentations and trees under roughly twenty nodes. This mirrors the approach most Excel tutorials recommend.

Create a Family Tree with SmartArt

Insert SmartArt — On a blank sheet, go to Insert → SmartArt → Hierarchy. Select Organizational Chart or Picture Organizational Chart, then OK.
Add generations — Click the top box for the oldest ancestor (or reverse depending on your preference). Use the SmartArt Design tab → Add Shape to grow downward through parents and grandparents.
Add spouses or siblings — Right-click a node → Add Shape → Add Assistant for a spouse beside a person, or Add Shape Below for children.
Format for readability — Use SmartArt Design → Change Colors for generation bands; type names directly in each box. Keep total nodes under ~20 for manageable printing.
Set print area — Drag to select the tree range, then Page Layout → Print Area → Set Print Area. Test with File → Print Preview.

Picture Organizational Chart lets you drop photos into nodes — fun for a classroom wall. Standard Organizational Chart stays text-only and prints cleaner in black and white.

Method 3 — Shapes and Connectors for Custom Layouts

When SmartArt cannot represent your family structure — two marriages, branches that split wide — build from scratch.

Build a Custom Tree with Shapes

Draw person boxes — Insert → Shapes → Rounded Rectangle. Copy the first box for each family member; use Align tools (Format → Align) to keep rows even.
Connect relationships — Insert → Shapes → Lines → Connector. Attach connectors between parents and children so lines move when you reposition boxes.
Label each box — Add name text inside shapes; leave room beneath for birth dates if you plan to include them later.
Group and print — Select all shapes → Group. Set Print Area around the grouped tree; hide gridlines under View before printing.

This method scales to complex trees but does not auto-number individuals for multi-page pedigree charts. Numbering systems appear in structured template workbooks, not in freeform shapes.

Add Names, Dates, and Print Settings

Names alone make a chart readable. Dates and places turn it into a genealogy record.

For DIY trees, type dates under each name in a consistent format — many genealogists use 1 Jan 1890 style (day, abbreviated month, four-digit year). Place lines often follow City, County, State order. SmartArt text boxes get cramped quickly; shapes give slightly more room but no labeled B:/M:/D: fields.

Printing checklist:

Print Area — Select the tree → Page Layout → Print Area → Set Print Area so Excel does not print empty columns.
Background colors — SmartArt color fills need File → Print → Print Background Colors and Images enabled, or the tree prints as hollow boxes.
Gridlines — View → uncheck Gridlines before handing out copies.
Paper size — Test letter (8.5×11) first; switching to landscape after layout is a common source of clipped branches.

Full B/M/D field conventions and date consistency rules sit in the dates-focused companion post linked above.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Warning: SmartArt trees often shift or clip when you switch from portrait to landscape paper — always run a test print on letter-size paper before a reunion or classroom deadline.

Other pitfalls:

Too many SmartArt nodes — Beyond ~20 boxes, text shrinks and connectors tangle. Split across sheets or switch methods.
Forgetting print preview — What fits on screen rarely matches paper margins.
Mixing date formats — 1/15/90 beside January 15, 1990 confuses readers; pick one style per chart.
No backup copy — Save versions as you add generations; undo history is not a family archive.

When a Downloadable Template Beats DIY

DIY methods work for short trees, homework deadlines, and learning Excel. They fall short when you need:

Standard B/M/D placeholders with date and place lines per person
Chart numbering that links multiple pages ("Cont. on chart no.")
Portrait and landscape layouts tested for printing
A hide-before-print column so copies look like charts, not spreadsheets

Those features ship in pedigree workbook templates rather than SmartArt. The Family Tree Chart Excel Template from PlanoNest includes six sheets, four layout variants, and genealogy-standard fields for $3.9 USD one-time — often less time than rebuilding print areas after a SmartArt resize.

For the full free-vs-DIY-vs-paid decision tree, return to the family tree chart excel template selection guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Microsoft Excel include a family tree template?

Yes. Search File → New for "family tree" to find Family Tree Generator, Photo Family Tree, and related layouts. They work for simple projects. They typically lack multi-page pedigree numbering and full B/M/D structure — many users pair Microsoft's gallery for inspiration with third-party templates for printing.

How many generations can SmartArt hold?

Practically three to four generations before boxes become unreadable on one page — roughly fifteen to twenty nodes. Larger trees need multiple sheets, a downloadable pedigree template, or the shapes method with manual page breaks.

Can I create a family tree chart in Google Sheets?

Yes. Build SmartArt-style trees using Insert → Drawing, or upload an .xlsx template via File → Open → Upload. Drawing-based trees behave like shapes: flexible but manual. Uploaded pedigree templates preserve tabs and layout better for structured genealogy work.

What is the fastest way to make a printable family tree in Excel?

For speed, start with a built-in or downloaded template and fill placeholders. For total control without downloading, SmartArt on a blank sheet is faster than shapes — as long as the tree stays small and you set Print Area before the deadline.

Should I use SmartArt or download a template?

SmartArt when the tree is small, screen-first, and decorative. Download a pedigree template when you need dates, places, multiple layouts, and clean letter-size printing for an event or archive.