How to Create Family Trees Using PowerPoint Organization Chart

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Family trees are a great way to visualize your family connections and relationships. With a family tree, you can easily see how different family members are related to one another across generations.

While there are many genealogy software programs and websites that allow you to create digital family trees, you can also build one right within PowerPoint using SmartArt graphics. The organization chart layouts make it simple to craft a family tree diagram that maps out all of your relatives.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process for making a family tree in PowerPoint.

Change the Slide Layout

Before starting on your family tree, you’ll want to open a new PowerPoint presentation and set up the slide layout.

Here are the basic steps:

  1. Select File > New to open the template chooser.
  2. Choose the Blank Presentation template to start with a clean slate.
  3. Delete any placeholder text boxes on the slide so you have an empty canvas.

Now the foundation is set up and ready for your family tree SmartArt graphic.

Insert a SmartArt Graphic Chart

PowerPoint’s SmartArt tools contain several types of hierarchical charts and diagrams to pick from. For family trees, the organization chart layouts work very well.

Follow these instructions to insert an organization chart:

  1. On the Insert tab, click SmartArt in the Illustrations group.
  2. In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, select the Hierarchy category.
  3. Choose one of the Organization Chart layouts from the list.
  4. Click OK to add the chart to your slide.

You should now see the basic structure of an organization chart inserted, ready for your family tree details.

Add Family Members to the Chart

With the organization chart in place, you can start populating it with your relatives’ names.

Adding new family members is simple:

  1. Click inside one of the chart boxes.
  2. Type the name of the relative for that position in the tree.
  3. Repeat this for each box, working from older to newer generations.

As you add more information than can fit in one box, new boxes will automatically populate below to hold the extra content.

Link to a New Branch of the Family Tree

As your family tree grows to multiple generations with many relatives, you may need to split a branch off into a new part of the chart.

You can easily link to a new branch or subtree within the diagram:

  1. Select the box you want to link from.
  2. Under SmartArt Tools, choose Create Graphic > Add Shape.
  3. Select Add shape after from the dropdown.
  4. A new box will be inserted, ready for you to type a relative’s name that starts a new branch.

Repeat this whenever you need to split to a new part of the family lineage.

Customize Your Family Tree Chart

Once your family tree data is filled into the organization chart, you can customize its appearance by changing visual styles and color schemes:

  1. With your SmartArt selected, go to SmartArt Tools > Design tab.
  2. Pick one of the configurations in the SmartArt Styles gallery.
  3. Open the Change Colors dropdown to choose a color palette.

Play around with different combinations until you find a look that visually fits your family tree best.

Extra: Add Images and Embellishments

To take your family tree to the next level, you can incorporate photos of your relatives and other decorative elements:

  • Insert images by selecting Pictures under the Insert tab and picking your photo files. Resize and position the images next to the relevant family member.
  • Apply Shape Styles and graphical effects like shadows, bevels, and reflections using the formatting tools under SmartArt Tools.
  • Add icons from PowerPoint’s libraries to denote traits like veterans, doctors, interests like sports and hobbies, etc.

Embellishing your family tree with visuals makes it more engaging and information-rich as you share it with family members.

Share Your Family Tree PowerPoint

When your family tree diagram is complete, don’t keep it to yourself! Share the PowerPoint file with your family members so everyone can benefit from the genealogy information.

Here are some ways to share your family tree PowerPoint with relatives near and far:

  • Email the PPT file as an attachment
  • Share access via OneDrive or Dropbox links
  • Post it as a download on your family history website
  • Print handouts to mail or hand deliver

Consider updating the PowerPoint every so often as family events like births, marriages and other news arises. Share the new versions so everyone stays up to date!

Conclusion

Constructing a family tree in PowerPoint using SmartArt graphics takes the complications out of genealogy charting. With simple organization chart layouts and tools to add images, icons and visual embellishments, you can create an engaging, detailed family tree diagram to share across generations.

So start documenting your family lineage in PowerPoint today! The visualization will help you as well as your family members better understand your shared connections.

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