How To Complete Fan Legacy Family Trees?

The downloadable fan legacy family trees available on our website makes filling in your family tree a breeze! The spaces in the chart are pre-numbered in the Ahnentafel or Eytzinger numbering system to make for speedy data input, so I’ll brief you on how that works.

Basically this German method allocates a definite order to your ancestors, using numbers to designate male or female relatives. It is very useful in filling out pre-numbered legacy family trees, as you won’t waste time trying to figure out where your great-grandmother on your father’s side goes. One glance at the chart and you’ll know automatically by the numbered space where to enter any and all of your relatives, beginning with yourself as number one.

LEGACY FAMILY TREES: Free downloadable fan legacy family trees

It would be helpful to download and print out our free legacy family tree fan chart so you can follow along with my instructions visually. Once you’ve printed out your fan chart, you’ll notice that there is a circle in the middle surrounded by semi-circular compartments that fan out to either side. Hence the name fan chart. One side of the family fans out to the left, the other to the right.

In the circle that is the hub of the fan chart is the number 1. This is where you enter your name. On each side of the center circle is a semi-circular space, the one to the left is numbered 2, the one on the right 3. Number 2 is where you’ll enter your father’s name, and number 3 your mother’s. Following the Ahnentafel system, any subsequent person’s father will be designated their number doubled, and the mother their number doubled plus one. Thus you will put your father’s father in space number 4, your mother’s father in space number, that’s right 6.

The fan chart has much more space than the circular chart for entering additional genealogy data such as birthdates and places, though efficiency of area is not as pronounced. The fan chart can be a very decorative way to showcase your legacy family tree. Because it does have the room for additional information on your ancestors, you’ll want to make sure that you enter any data accurately. Make sure you use full names, First, Middle then Last, and include any nicknames you might come across.