How to Create a Family Tree Pyramid Diagram
Once you have started to research your family tree and begun to discover where your family originate from, the next important step is how to layout all the wonderful things you have found out about your family. As you start your research, you will probably find that you quickly develop a mountain of facts, this is where a family tree diagram can be your best friend. One of the simplest ways to keep all of your research together is to use family tree pyramid diagram, it’s not as detailed as other methods but is incredibly good for keeping things organised.
In essence all it really is is an inverted organo chart. Get your notebook and draw a triangle on it, ensuring it points towards the bottom of the page. Divide the triangle horizontally. Each layer, shows a a separate generation of your. A three layered pyramid, then, will include your grandparents, but a four layered pyramid will include your great-grandparents.
Write your name in the bottommost triangle. Bisect the next section. Write your father’s name in o0ne section and mother’s name in the other. Divide the layer above into four sections and fill in your grandparents’ names. The layer above will have eight spaces, you should put in each of your great grandparents names.
This family tree structure has many advantages. Firstly, it’s easy to understand and to create it. You don’t need lots of materials, also your family members are easy to identify. It can be used as a quick visual reminder and also as a foundation for other work.
There are however several disadvantages to this diagram. In the first place, it does not allow you to have very much detail. It’s rare that a family is just two people and a child, the pyramid diagram doesn’t let you elaborate on that. You do not have an areas where you can put in notations about brothers and sisters, or second marriages. It can become cramped if adding more that names into the diagram
The family tree pyramid diagram can work for you in many ways. As indicated above, you can use it as an organizational tool to keep your information straight. Sorting out your ancestors if you use color coding for you research can be really easy. It’s an excellent tool for introducing children to their family tree. Children can be confused by uncles, aunts, second marriages etc, but the pyramid make it really easy to follow.
The family tree pyramid diagram can add so much value if you take time to think it’s use through.
