

The family tree of Confucius, for example, is already 2,500 years old and is recorded as the world’s largest family tree with 2 million known descendants. Historically, in Western civilizations, family trees, also known as genealogy charts, were used to depict the ancestry of kings and nobles and verify their claims to royalty and power.įamily trees were maintained for years on end. Genealogy or the study of families was the earliest form and application of family trees. What is the history of making family tree diagrams? Each family member is represented by a shape like a box or a circle with usually their photo inside. In a family tree chart, lines are used to connect family members and portray their relationships. Based on its name, a family tree is structured like a tree, with the individual as the ‘root’ and their parents, grandparents, and ancestors making up the ‘leaves’ one level at a time.
