How to Make a 6 Generation Family Tree in Excel

Learning how to make a 6 generation family tree in excel is a weekend project — or a week-long formatting slog, depending on whether you start from SmartArt or from a prepared pedigree sheet. This guide covers both paths and tells you honestly when to stop DIY and open a template. Selection context sits on the 6 generation family tree template excel guide.

Key takeaway: You can build a six-generation tree with Excel shapes or SmartArt, but print-ready results appear faster from a dedicated 6 generation template once you pass ~30 named ancestors.

Gather Names Before You Touch Excel

Prep list

List the subject (generation 1) and both parents.
Add grandparents and great-grandparents with birth years if known.
Mark uncertain names with ? — do not invent spellings.
Decide portrait vs landscape based on your printer.
Collect a few photos only if the final chart needs them.

Six generations explode quickly. Empty boxes are fine; crowded wrong names are worse.

Path A — Microsoft Built-in Templates (3 Generations)

File → New → search “family tree.” Microsoft’s Family Tree Generator and Photo Family Tree templates are excellent for near family and classroom demos. They are not true six-generation pedigrees. Use them to practice data entry, then move on.

Creately’s Excel guide and How-To Geek both document SmartArt Hierarchy as the next DIY step.

Path B — SmartArt Hierarchy DIY

SmartArt six-generation attempt

Insert → SmartArt → Hierarchy → Organization Chart (or Picture Organization Chart).
Use the text pane to add parent/child nodes.
Add Shape After/Before for spouses — expect awkward connectors.
Color-code generations lightly for readability.
Remove gridlines; set landscape; test print early.

Pros — SmartArt: Fast visual for small trees; no download required. Cons — SmartArt: Rigid for blended families; connectors break; six generations become cluttered.

Creately correctly notes that photos and notes clutter SmartArt layouts because Excel lacks genealogy field types.

Path C — Shapes Copy-Paste (Labor Heavy)

ExcelMojo’s seven-generation walkthrough shows the reality: draw a rounded rectangle, copy pairs for couples, insert lines, align center, repeat. It works. It also consumes an evening before you type a single verified date.

Warning: Convert SmartArt to shapes only after the structure is final — you lose SmartArt Design tools afterward.

Path D — Start From a 6-Gen Template

Download a sheet that already reserves six (or seven) generation columns. Fill names left-to-right or bottom-to-top per the instructions. This is the path reunion organizers finish on time.

Checklist for files: excel family tree template 6 generations. Product option with photo guidance: PlanoraNest 6 Generation Family Tree Template Excel.

Product highlight: Template path: open Start Here → pick 6-gen sheet → fill subject first → insert photos last → print preview.

Set print area to the chart only; hide instruction columns.
Prefer PDF export for emailing relatives who will not edit.
Keep the editable .xlsx as the master.

Pedigree field conventions: 6 generation pedigree chart excel. Photo insert tips: multi generation family tree excel with photos.

A Sample Afternoon Build Plan

Hour 1 — Data. Type known names into a flat list sheet with columns for generation number, person number, and source. Do not design yet.

Hour 2 — Structure. Either open a six-generation template or sketch SmartArt for a three-generation practice tree. Resist the urge to beautify.

Hour 3 — Transfer. Copy verified names into the pedigree positions. Leave blanks. Add birth years only when sourced.

Hour 4 — Print proof. Landscape letter, black-and-white. Fix overflows. Only then consider photos.

DIY builders often reverse this order: they theme first and run out of time for accuracy. Flip it.

Handling Blended Families in Excel

SmartArt assumes tidy org-chart relationships. Real families include step-parents, adoptions, and multiple marriages. Pedigree charts intentionally focus on biological or chosen lineal ancestors for a single subject — they are not full relationship diagrams. If you need complex household mapping, use a family group sheet or a diagram tool, and keep the Excel pedigree for lineal ancestors only.

Label the chart title with the subject’s full name and the as-of date so future readers know whose line they are viewing.

Common DIY Failure Modes

Connectors that look fine on screen but shift when printed
Text boxes that hide behind shapes
Accidental grouped objects that move entire branches
Using cell comments for vital dates that vanish in PDF export

Templates reduce these failures by keeping names inside cells rather than floating shapes. That is the practical answer to how to make a 6 generation family tree in excel when the audience is a busy household, not an Excel hobbyist.

When to Stop and Switch Paths

Stop DIY when you have rebuilt the same connector twice, when a relative asks for a shareable file tonight, or when you need both six- and seven-generation views. Switching mid-project feels like sunk-cost waste; it is usually schedule recovery.

Extra Practical Notes

Readers comparing options should reopen print preview after every major edit. Generation labels in headers help when a chart is photocopied without color. Keep one master workbook and export PDF snapshots for events so last-minute pen edits do not fork the truth. If a relative returns new dates after the reunion, revise the master and issue a dated PDF rather than editing printed paper as the system of record.

For product packaging, sheet names, and photo guidance on the PlanoraNest workbook, always verify the live product page rather than relying on remembered screenshots from an older blog draft.

Field-Tested Ordering of Work

Confirm the subject and numbering scheme.
Fill generation two and three completely before touching generation six.
Run spellcheck on surnames against a known list.
Only then adjust colors, photos, and decorative lines.
Export PDF and open it on a phone to catch overflow early.

This order prevents polishing empty branches and keeps the spreadsheet honest about what you actually know.

Keyboard and Alignment Shortcuts That Save Hours

Ctrl drag to duplicate shapes without breaking formatting
Align Center / Distribute Horizontally after selecting a generation row of boxes
Hold Alt while dragging to snap to cell grid on desktop Excel
Name a selection as a group only after connectors are final

These shortcuts do not fix a bad structure, but they reduce frustration when you insist on DIY.

Teaching Kids With a Partial Tree

For classroom use, prefill generations four through six with “research later” labels and let students complete generations one through three. That teaches structure without requiring archival accuracy. Keep a separate adult research copy.

Migrating From Paper Charts

Photograph or scan old pedigree charts, then type — do not rely on image-only archives as the editable source. Paper remains a fine interview tool at the kitchen table; Excel becomes the system of record afterward.

Measuring Done

You are done with how to make a 6 generation family tree in excel when print preview shows six readable levels, uncertain names are marked, sources live on a notes sheet, and at least one other relative can open the file without asking where to type. Beauty themes are optional after that bar is met.

Tools You Already Own

You do not need Visio. Excel desktop, a PDF reader, and a shared drive cover most family projects. Optional extras: a cheap label printer for binder spines, and a phone scanner app for paper notes. Spending on software before spending on interviews usually wastes money.

If LibreOffice is your only spreadsheet, test the chosen template there before inviting Excel-only relatives to edit. Compatibility surprises are cheaper to find on day one.

FAQ

How long does DIY six generations take? A careful shapes build can take several hours. A template fill can take under an hour if names are ready.

Can Google Sheets replace Excel here? For filling a .xlsx template, yes. For rebuilding SmartArt from scratch, Excel desktop is smoother.

Should I use genealogy software instead? For sourced research databases, yes (Gramps, FamilySearch, etc.). Excel remains the printable snapshot layer.

Next Step

Follow Path D when the deadline is real. Browse the product page for a ready 6/7-gen workbook, or return to the 6 generation family tree template excel guide to compare approaches.