What is family tree Pyramid Diagram
When you are thinking about learning more about your family tree and where your family has been, you need to think
about how you are going to organize your information. Depending on what you are interested in learning and who you
are talking to, there is a good chance that the information is going to start piling up fast, and with that in
mind, a family tree pyramid diagram can be extraordinarily helpful. A family tree pyramid diagram is a fairly
simple structure to put together, and though it is not as detailed as other forms of the family tree you can find,
it is a good way to keep all of your information together and to keep things straight.
A family tree pyramid diagram is essentially an inverted pyramid form of organization. On a blank sheet of paper,
draw a triangle with a point towards the bottom of the page. Divide the triangle horizontally. Every successive
layer of the pyramid will denote one generation of your family. A three layered pyramid, then, will include your
grandparents, but a four layered pyramid will include your great-grandparents.
At the bottommost triangle of the family tree pyramid diagram, write your name. Divide the next section up into two
sections. In one section, place your father’s name and your mother’s name. Divide the third section from the bottom
into four spaces, and in those spaces, write your grandparents’ names. The fourth section from the bottom will have
eight spaces, one for each of your great-grandparents, and so on.
There are several advantages to this type of family tree. In the first place, it is a very simple one to understand
and to create. You can do it with relatively few materials to hand, and you will also find that you are in a place
where you can see your family members clearly. It can be used as a quick reminder about who is who, and it can be a
great tool for future organization.
On the other hand, there are also several disadvantages to the family tree pyramid diagram. In the first place, it
does not allow you to have very much detail. Families are more than just two people and a child, and the pyramid
structure does not allow for elaboration on that concept. You do not have an areas where you can put in notations
about brothers and sisters, or second marriages. It can also get a little tight when you are putting in information
that encompasses more than just names.
There are many ways that a family tree pyramid diagram can work for you. As suggested above, you can use it as an
organizational tool to keep your information straight. If you color code your files and clippings, you can tag each
direct ancestor with a different color and sort them that way. You will also find that a pyramid design like this
one is a good way to introduce young children to genealogy. They may be confused by all the aunts, uncle, second
cousins and second marriages, but the pyramid gives them a structure that they can see very clearly.
Take some time and consider what good the family tree pyramid diagram can provide to you and your family’s history.
