Family Circles Diagram

Overview

See all types of relatives: cousins from both sides, in-laws, step relatives, and multiple sets of parents.

Example: King Charles and his family up to second cousins

Family tree data comes from Geni (not affiliated). Include photos and other details to make it look great.

This tool is still being developed and currently free. Please let me know of any issues, suggestions, and how you are using it: mfagan+diagram@gmail.com.

Tips

Before you start

Aim to have as many of these as possible for each person:

1. photo
2. name
3. birth date (at least the year, even if estimated)
4. living status
5. location (especially current or final)
6. occupation
7. gender
8. birth order
9. death date
10. marriage date (or at least marriage order)

Editing your poster

Consider adding any of these:

• a title
• a map
• friends, other significant people, or pets, matching the diagram’s style
• photos of family together
• photos of family places and objects

Using your poster

Some ideas:

• display on your wall
• laminate, then display on a coffee or kitchen table
• display at a family event and have people sign their spot

Understanding the diagram

Other diagrams show a focus person’s ancestors or descendents. A family circles diagram shows all relatives.

The focus person or people (such as yourself) are in the center. Around are people one step away: parents, children, partners, and siblings. Around them are people one step away from them, and so on.

Each person is coloured by age and living status, showing their relationship to the focus person, occupation, and location.

A red line connects each person to their partner. A blue arrow connects each red line to the children of that partnership—if only one parent is shown, the arrow starts from them.

The blue arrow splits to connect to each child in their birth order, clockwise. Multiples (like twins) connect at the same point. Multiple partners are shown clockwise too, in partnership order.

Sometimes people connected are far apart. To keep the diagram clean only the start and end of the line is drawn, each part labeled with the person it connects.

Privacy

Your family information is transferred directly from Geni to your computer. It is never made available to this service.