©IHGS 2025
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR COMPILING PEDIGREES
Creating a family tree chart is a great way to share and preserve your family history.
Whether for educational purposes, personal research, or sharing with future generations,
a family tree provides a clear visual representation of your family history research.
It is possible to draw a family tree using Microsoft Word. Microsoft Excel and Microsoft
PowerPoint are also very versatile and suited to the task.
Below we set out the recommended guidelines that you would follow.
FORMATTING
Capitalisation
Surnames should be recorded in CAPITAL letters; forenames and places names in
Sentence Case.
Names
Forenames are recorded first and all known forenames should be given including middle
names or initial of known. Surnames can go next to or underneath the forenames.
What to Record
For each individual only the vital information should be recorded. These are:
• Full dates of birth or baptism, marriage, and death or burial
• Places – parish and county
• Occupations
On the chart also include a:
• Title
• Key
• Date
1
©IHGS 2025
Blank Chart
Here is how the key
information is laid out
for two generations.
Using Abbreviations
Abbreviations are a useful way to save space on a chart. Whichever abbreviations you use
be consistent.
Event / Description Abbreviations Example
Birth / Born b. or bn. b. 1 Jan 1858
Approximately or circa c. or ca. b. c.1858
Baptised bpt. or bp. or bap. Bap. 1 Jan 1860
Married m. m. 1878
Civil Partnership cp cp. 1 Jan 2019
Death d. or ob. d. 1 Jan 1900
Divorce div. div. 1 Jan 1973
Buried bur. Bur. 1 Jan 1900
Mentioned in will m.i.w. m.i.w. brother James
Note: You would use this when the will is the only
document that you have discovered that links an individual
to a pedigree.
Killed in Action k.i.a. k.i.a. 1 Jan 1917
Died without issue d.s.p
No children s.p.
Son or son of s/o John son of James SMITH
Daughter of dau. of or d/o Mary d/o of James SMITH
Male or Female Female Smith
[When child’s name is unknown]
Married = joins a married couple on a pedigree
Unmarried x joins an unmarried couple on a pedigree
2
©IHGS 2025
The Lines
You will only need two types of line: an unbroken line to illustrate a true, proven
connection; a broken, or dotted line, to indicate uncertainty.
Certain Uncertain
The drop-line (1) connects to the horizontal generation line (2) and from the generation
line a series of vertical sibling spikes (3) connect the children born to the same parents.
=
(1)
(2)
(3)
You can now use the lines to create the structure of the pedigree and the abbreviations to
indicate the type of information displayed.
Each generation follows in the same way.
We will now take you through building a pedigree step by step.
3
©IHGS 2025
HOW TO DRAW A DROP-LINE PEDIGREE
Follow these steps to create a pedigree.
Step 1: The Subject
Charles Surnames always in capital letters
BROWN Date should be as written, not “27.1.1900”
b. 27 Jan 1900 which might be confused with American
Preston, LAN1 dates with the day and month reversed.
d. 19 Aug 1969
The occupation recorded after all other
Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver information.
This might complete the entry for a single person, male or female. However, if Charles
BROWN married, the entries for him and his wife would appear as follows:
Step 2: A Marriage
Charles = Mary
BROWN WHITE
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN
d. 19 Aug 1969 m. 6 Jun 1925
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver d. 29 Oct 1975
Preston, LAN
The presence of a marriage date confirms the couple did marry and so the = sign is used
to indicate the marriage between Charles BROWN and Mary WHITE.
The marriage details are always included with the entry for the woman.
You may wish to include the name, and possibly occupation, of the wife’s father. Ideally
insert a line from the wife up to her father is used, but there is the option to include
details beside her name. Step 2 shows a number of possibilities, all of which are
dependent upon having available space, and all are optional.
1 LAN is the official Chapman Code abbreviation for Lancashire; the full list given later in this lecture.
4
©IHGS 2025
Step 2a: A Marriage
The bride’s entry can include details of her father, as in the following example:
Mary dau. of Thomas WHITE [or]
Mary dau. of Thomas WHITE, Carder [or]
Mary d/o Thomas WHITE, Carder
Mary d. of Thomas WHITE, Carder
Step 3: Children born to Charles and Mary BROWN
Use a drop-line to connect all children born to Charles and Mary BROWN as:
Charles = Mary
BROWN WHITE
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN
d. 19 Aug 1969 m. 6 Jun 1925
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver d. 29 Oct 1975
Preston, LAN
Charles Thomas Eizabeth
BROWN BROWN BROWN
b. 11 Nov 1926 b. 17 Jul 1928 b. 9 Dec 1930
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
List siblings in order of age, working left to right. Keep generations on the same level.
Always enter a male’s forename and surname to show succession. Traditionally the
surname for females were not included, but now it is more usual to do so.
Step 4: The daughter Elizabeth marries
Charles = Mary
BROWN WHITE
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN
d. 19 Aug 1969 m. 6 Jun 1925
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver d. 29 Oct 1975
Preston, LAN
Charles Thomas James = Eizabeth
BROWN BROWN GREEN BROWN
b. 11 Nov 1926 b. 17 Jul 1928 b. 9 Dec 1930
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
m. 10 Jan 1953
Preston, LAN
Place males to the left in a marriage or civil partnership.
5
©IHGS 2025
Step 5: Multiple Marriages (Male)
Arrange a multiple male marriage as:
[1] [2]
Mary = Charles = Jane
WHITE BROWN BLACK
b. 14 Mar 1903 b. 27 Jan 1900 b. c. 1920
Blackburn LAN Preston, LAN m. 17 Jan 1961
m. 6 Jun 1925 d. 19 Aug 1969 Leigh, LAN
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
d. 29 Oct 1955 Cotton Weaver
Preston, LAN
In the above sequence any children born from the second marriage will be placed to the
right of any older children from the first marriage. If Jane BLACK’S age was recorded on
the marriage certificate, her estimated year of birth can also be entered.
Alternatively:
[1] [2]
Charles = Mary = Jane
BROWN WHITE BLACK
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903 b. c. 1920
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN m. 17 Jan 1961
d. 19 Aug 1969 m. 6 Jun 1925 Leigh, LAN
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver d. 29 Oct 1955
Preston, LAN
Step 6: Multiple Marriages (Female)
Arrange a multiple female marriage as:
[1] [2]
Charles = Mary = James
BROWN WHITE BLACK
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903 b.c. 1902
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN d. 31 July 1968
d. 19 Aug 1969 m1. 6 Jun 1925 Blackburn, LAN
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN Cotton Spinner
Cotton Weaver / Soldier m2. 13 Apr 1950
Blackburn, LAN
d. 17 Mar 1977
Blackburn, LAN
In the above example the details of all marriages are placed directly beneath the female.
6
©IHGS 2025
Step 7: What if Charles and Mary did not marry?
You have searched the GRO Indexes and the parish registers and cannot find a
marriage. Replace the = sign with the letter x. For example:
Charles X Mary
BROWN dau. of Thomas WHITE,
b. 27 Jan 1900 Carder
Preston, LAN b. 14 Mar 1903
d. 19 Aug 1969 Blackburn, LAN
Preston, LAN d. 29 Oct 1975
Cotton Weaver Preston, LAN
Step 7a: Illegitimacy
A child born to a single mother should be recorded as:
X Annie
BROWN
b. 22 Mar 1910
Preston, LAN
m. 23 Sept 1930
Preston, LAN
Thomas
BROWN
b. 19 Jun 1928
Preston, LAN
Step 7b: Illegitimacy
If a mother of a child born to her as a single mother, and she later married and had a
legitimate child this should be recorded as:
Thomas = Annie X
SMITH BROWN
b. 23 April 1908 b. 22 Mar 1910
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
d. 19 Aug 1975 m. 23 Sept 1930
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver
James Thomas
SMITH BROWN
b. 14 Oct 1931 b. 19 Jun 1928
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
7
©IHGS 2025
Step 8: Twins in the Family
Twins are recorded with diagonal lines:
Charles Thomas Elizabeth Edward
BROWN BROWN BROWN BROWN
Step 9: Uncertain Descent
Charles = Mary
BROWN WHITE
b. 27 Jan 1900 b. 14 Mar 1903
Preston, LAN Blackburn, LAN
d. 19 Aug 1969 m. 6 Jun 1925
Preston, LAN Preston, LAN
Cotton Weaver
The above example illustrates that that the researcher is not sure about particular
portions of the family tree.
Key or Legend
To prevent a drop-line pedigree becoming overcrowded, it is recommended to use
abbreviations as described previously. These may be detailed in a ‘Key’ or ‘Legend’. This is
usually placed in the bottom corner of the page and should include all the abbreviations
used.
To abbreviate county names the recognised system is to use Chapman Codes (see full list
on the next page). Details of the specific counties abbreviated should also be included on
the key or legend.
Key or Legend:
An example Key or Legend:
b. Born bur. Buried
bp. Baptised d. Died
HAM Hampshire
WAR Warwickshire
8
©IHGS 2025
THE CHAPMAN CODES
The Chapman Code is a three-letter code, used in Genealogy, to identify the historic counties and
administrative divisions of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
Below are the abbreviations used for the historic counties which we recommend using rather than
the modern administration areas which were created by various changes dating from the 1960s.
England (ENG)
BDF Bedfordshire HAM Hampshire OXF Oxfordshire
BRK Berkshire HEF Herefordshire RUT Rutland
BKM Buckinghamshire HRT Hertfordshire SAL Shropshire
CAM Cambridgeshire HUN Huntingdonshire SOM Somerset
CHS Cheshire KEN Kent STS Staffordshire
CON Cornwall LAN Lancashire SFK Suffolk
CUL Cumberland LEI Leicestershire SSX Sussex
DBY Derbyshire LIN Lincolnshire SRY Surrey
DEV Devon LND London WAR Warwickshire
DOR Dorset MDX Middlesex WES Westmoreland
DUR Durham NBL Northumberland WIL Wiltshire
ESS Essex NFK Norfolk WOR Worcestershire
GLS Gloucestershire NTH Northamptonshire YKS Yorkshire
NTT Nottinghamshire
Scotland (SCT)
ABD Aberdeenshire ELN East Lothian PEE Peebleshire
ANS Angus FIF Fifeshire PER Perthshire
ARL Argyllshire INV Inverness-shire RFW Renfrewshire
AYR Ayrshire KCD Kincardineshire ROC Ross & Cromarty
BAN Banffshire KRS Kinross-shire ROX Roxburghshire
BEW Berwickshire KKD Kirkcudbrightshire SEL Selkirk
BUT Bute LKS Lanarkshire SHI Shetland Isles
CAI Caithness MLN Midlothian STI Stirlingshire
CLK Clackmannanshire MOR Moray SUT Sutherland
DFS Dumfries NAI Nairn WLN West Lothian
DUN Dunbartonshire OKI Orkney Isles WIG Wigtownshire
Wales (WLS)
AGY Anglesey DEN Denbighshire MGY Montgomeryshire
BRE Breconshire FLN Flintshire PEM Pembrokeshire
CAE Caernarvonshire GLA Glamorgan RAD Radnorshire
CGN Cardiganshire MER Merionethshire
CMN Carmarthenshire MON Monmouthshire
Ireland (IRE)
ANT Antrim DUB Dublin LIM Limerick ROS Roscommon
ARM Armagh FER Fermanagh LDY Londonderry SLI Sligo
CAR Carlow GAL Galway LOG Longford TIP Tipperary
CAV Cavan KER Kerry LOU Louth TYR Tyrone
CLA Clare KID Kildare MAY Mayo WAT Waterford
COR Cork KIK Kilkenny MEA Meath WEM Westmeath
DON Donegal LET Leitrim MOG Monaghan WEX Wexford
DOW Down LEX Leix OFF Offaly WIC Wicklow
Channel Isles (CHI)
ALD Alderney GSY Guernsey JSY Jersey SRK Sark
9
©IHGS 2025
Example of a drop line pedigree chart.
Following the steps and build your own family tree chart.
For more guidance on advanced pedigree construction and how to draw a
pedigree using PowerPoint why not join in our Zoom Tutorial programme.
10
©IHGS 2025
join in our Zoom Tutorials.
11
