Alexis Kestler
As an amateur genealogy enthusiast and budding family historian, I completely understand the allure of tracing your ancestry. Like many, it began for me as a curiosity about my origins that slowly blossomed into a rewarding quest of discovery.
And over the years, I’ve become well-versed in the process and pitfalls of piecing together your lineage using all the tools available today. I’ve learned first-hand how thrilling yet challenging it can be.
So I’ve created this guide to help both beginners and experts navigate the family tree making process from start to finish. I’ll be sharing the key things I wish I knew earlier in your family tree journey based on my own experience and extensive research.
Let’s first quickly cover the basics of family trees. Then we’ll dive into the main event – the top 8 best tools for bringing your ancestry to life!
What is a Family Tree and Why Build One?
A family tree is a diagram of your genealogy displayed in a tree-like format. It maps out family relationships spanning generations from oldest ancestors down to you, the youngest descendant.
Beyond just names and dates, well-researched trees reveal fascinating details like:
- Birth/marriage/death locations
- Cause of death
- Burial sites
- Immigration details
- Military service
- Career paths and homesteads
- General life events and timelines
As of 2022, genealogy remains the second most popular hobby in the U.S. after gardening, with a whopping estimated 75 million Americans exploring their family history.
What drives this growing passion? Here are 5 meaningful reasons to build your own family tree:
1. Understand hereditary health risks – Tracking conditions and causes of death can pinpoint risks you should screen for. As someone who discovered stroke and cancer patterns in my lineage, this has been incredibly helpful.
2. Gain sense of identity – Learning your origins provides perspective and helps you value previous generations’ sacrifices. As a third generation Japanese American, tracing my family’s immigration and internment history gave me a powerful connection to my roots.
3. Forge connections – Working on your tree together can deeply bond you to relatives near and far. One of my fondest memories is building the family tree with my grandpa and hearing his stories.
4. Qualify for lineage societies – Certain groups like Daughters of the American Revolution require proven lineage. I joined the Mayflower Society through my 9th great-grandfather John Alden.
5. Satisfy curiosity – Maybe you have a vague family legend you want to explore or simply crave context. My tree solved the mystery of my great grandmother’s disappearance.
These meaningful rewards make investing time into your family tree worthwhile. Let’s look at top-notch tools to make the journey easier.
8 Best Family Tree Makers for Every Skill Level
Creating your genealogy diagram takes the right mix of research finesse, organization, creativity, and technology. Fortunately as an amateur genealogist for over 7 years now, I’ve tested a huge range of software options through the years.
I’ve narrowed it down to the absolute best family tree makers ideal for every skill level and need:
1. FamilySearch (Best for Beginners)
FamilySearch is completely free and the best starting point for beginners. Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and operated by volunteers, they are a non-profit with the goal of helping people discover their ancestry.
With a free account you get:
- Online family tree maker to add ancestors
- Record hints
- Access to over 13 billion digitized global genealogy records – fully searchable census data, birth/marriage/death indexes, passenger lists, newspapers, and more
- Opportunity to donate your own records
- Mobile apps
The records access alone makes this worth using. 13 billion searchable docs for free cannot be beat!
It does have some limitations. Hints and records are restricted unless you pay for membership. User trees are not as feature-rich as paid sites. But as a kickoff point for hobbyist genealogy, FamilySearch is incredible. Use it to take advantage of their vast data, then export your initial findings to another tool.
2. MyHeritage (Best for Beginners to Intermediate)
Moving up from FamilySearch, MyHeritage is the next step. Their free version has ample features, then paid plans unlock sophisticated research tools.
With a free account, you get:
- Online family tree builder
- Photo hosting
- Basic historical records
- Hints
- Profile pages
It’s an easy web interface ideal for beginners, with enough tools to take you into intermediate skills. Their paid Complete plan includes automatic record matching, advanced search filters, and more powerful research capabilities.
Unique to MyHeritage is their deep international focus, with records from 42 countries in 42 languages. For those with global family origins like myself, this is invaluable.
From amateur to aspiring professional, you can scale your genealogy hobby on MyHeritage for years to come. And their mobile apps keep your tree available on-the-go.
3. Ancestry (Best for Intermediate to Advanced)
When you’re ready to graduate to advanced genealogy capabilities, Ancestry.com is the gold standard. With billions of records and powerful hint tools, it makes growing your tree incredibly simple.
Here are the key features that make Ancestry my top pick for intermediate to advanced hobbyists:
- 34 million online family trees to potentially connect with
- Millions of record hints to easily grow your tree
- Access to over 20 billion historical records like censuses, passenger lists, and more
- Unique niche record sets tailored to African Americans, Hispanics, Jews, and other groups
- AncestryDNA integrations to incorporate genetic genealogy
- Newspaper archives – super useful for timeline context
- Robust mobile and web apps
The top advantage is absolutely their unrivaled record database paired with hint technology. It turns up leads left and right, doing much of the heavy lifting for you.
The main downside is cost. It’s one of the pricier paid services. But frequent promotions help. Overall if you’re ready to take your family tree to sophisticated levels, Ancestry is the best in class.
4. Gramps (Best Free Software)
If subscription costs don’t work for you, Gramps is the free, open-source genealogy software you need. Don’t let the lack of price tag fool you – Gramps is extremely powerful.
Available on Linux, Mac, and Windows, Gramps capabilities include:
- Highly customizable trees
- Dynamic ancestor and descendant charts
- Support for all genealogy data like events, media, sources
- Advanced tagging, filtering and reporting
- GEDCOM import/export to share data
- Third-party plugins
- Encryption for private data
This free download offers astonishing depth rivaling paid desktop software. The learning curve is steeper, but for tech-savvy users it’s an unbeatable value.
For total free control over your data, Gramps is ideal. With flexibility limited only by your imagination, it’s a top pick for advanced users.
5. RootsMagic (Best Paid Desktop Software)
If downloadable genealogy software is your preference but Gramps feels too advanced, RootsMagic hits the sweet spot. With a clean interface and logical workflows, RootsMagic makes quick work of complex research.
Standout features include:
- Strong core tree building and profile creation tools
- 40+ specialized ancestry and descendant charts
- Multimedia embedding
- To-Do lists and research logs to organize your work
- Integration with FamilySearch, Ancestry, MyHeritage, Findmypast, and more
- GEDCOM support for data sharing
- Source citations, place mapping, and notes
At $29.95 for a license, it’s affordable yet packed with capabilities to manage detailed genealogy work. For Windows users, RootsMagic is the best paid standalone software choice.
6. MacFamilyTree (Best for Mac Users)
Mac users have an excellent family tree software option too: MacFamilyTree. With similar power to RootsMagic but designed for Mac environment, it makes an ideal choice for Apple fans.
MacFamilyTree offers:
- Core tree building with profiles, events, media, etc
- 25+ styles and chart types
- Research tools like searchable world gazetteer
- Media embedding and captions
- Blog and website publication
- Source citations and notes
- Interfacing with FamilySearch, MyHeritage, FindMyPast
- Mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and iPod
For under $60 after free trial, you unlock a lifetime license. Add the mobile apps, and MacFamilyTree becomes a seamless hub for managing your genealogy work from anywhere.
7. Geni.com (Most Collaborative)
All the previous tools primarily focus on building your own isolated family tree. But Geni.com takes a radically more collaborative approach.
Their World Family Tree project aims to create a single massive global family tree spanning all of humanity. Rather than siloed trees, users come together to build interconnected branches of the giant tree.
With a Geni account you can:
- Start your tree then link it to reconnect with distant cousins
- Confirm relationships via document uploads like birth certificates
- Join interest projects like Geni World Family Tree, Mayflower Descendants, Royal Descendants, etc
- Find genetic matches via DNA testing integration
- Access from any device
This interconnected approach can help you quickly find living relatives and ancestors. Geni‘s project groups also connect you with members who share your family lines and interests.
If collaboration and crowdsourcing discoveries excite you, Geni‘s unique platform offers compelling value.
8. GenoPro (Best for Charts and Analysis)
Lastly, GenoPro deserves a spot on the list for its unparalleled chart creation powers. With 25 style templates, descendant and ancestor charts, statistics, and reports, this software generates the most professional genealogy diagrams.
Additional features include:
- Support for large family trees
- Multimedia embedding
- HTML website and blog creation
- Integrations with Ancestry, FindMyPast, MyHeritage, FamilySearch
- Notes, sources, and other data
- On Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone
It starts at $99 for a lifetime license after trial. For hobbyists wanting polished family tree graphics or pros creating client deliverables, GenoPro’s presentation prowess shines. Charts made with GenoPro never cease to impress me.
Key Factors in Choosing Your Family Tree Software
With so many great options available now, how do you select the ideal family tree maker for your needs? Here are the key deciding factors I recommend evaluating:
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Learning curve – If new to genealogy, pick an intuitive beginner tool like FamilySearch or MyHeritage. For advanced experience, Gramps and GenoPro are powerful.
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Accessibility – Determine if you prefer desktop or online access. Online allows mobile collaboration but offline ensures full data authority.
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Features – Know what’s mandatory for you – DNA integration, collaborative linking, chart variety, advanced search? Pick software strongest in your must-have features.
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Source records – If access to historical records matters, choose Ancestry or MyHeritage. If not, standalone software can suffice.
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Price – Look for free tools or set a budget for paid services. Many provide free trials to test drive.
By weighing each factor according to your personal needs and style, you can zero in on the right family tree maker for you from this list.
For me, it was an evolution starting with Gramps for early learning then upgrading to Ancestry for accessing billions of records and hints. I still use Gramps though for maximum creative control over my data and charts.
Evaluate your own needs and budget to make the perfect choice as you start your ancestry journey. And the good news – no need to stick with just one! You can mix and match tools from this list as your skills grow.
Preserving Your Family Tree for Generations
Once your tree is complete, be sure to preserve your legacy! Printed charts tucked away in filing cabinets won‘t adequately honor your hard work.
Here are 5 creative ideas to give your family tree the enduring showcase it deserves:
1. Convert to tapestry art – Services like MyTapestry.com transform your chart into a stunning hand-made tapestry, complete with embroidered names and vibrant colors. These heirlooms display beautifully while preserving your tree for centuries.
2. Build a personalized website – Use software like Gramps or GenoPro to output your tree as a website. Add photos, stories, and media to bring your heritage to life digitally. Sites like Ancestry even host your content.
3. Create a photo book or scrapbook – Print your tree on archival paper and turn it into a album with embellishments, journaling, and memorabilia. This handmade approach adds sentimental value.
4. Frame as wall art – Professionally print your tree on canvas using a service like EasyCanvasPrints. Display it in your home in a gilded frame fit for an heirloom.
5. Give custom photo gifts – For parents or grandparents, have a cherished ancestral photo printed on a blanket, mug, puzzle, or necklace. Thoughtful gifts that turn genealogy into a warm memento.
However you choose to preserve and display your family tree, be sure to back up the digital files in multiple places. I have my family tree data secured on an external hard drive and cloud storage to hedge against loss.
Begin Your Family Tree Quest Today!
I hope this guide provided ample genealogy guidance to equip your journey in uncovering your roots! With so many great services now available from free starter tools to advanced paid platforms, there’s never been an easier time to dive in.
Take it from me – no matter your skill level, embarking on your ancestry quest will be an unforgettable, enlightening experience that deeply connects your past to the present.
It starts by simply firing up your chosen family tree software and adding the basic details you know – your parents, grandparents, etc. Before you know it, those branches will be blossoming with the stories and faces of the ancestors who‘ve made you who you are.
Here‘s to discovering your heritage! Please reach out if you need any guidance getting started. I‘m always happy to help fellow ancestry enthusiasts begin an enriching, rewarding family tree adventure.
Warm regards,
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