Q&A for How to Create a Family Tree Diagram

The maiden name goes second. You put "née" in front of the maiden name, and you can use either parentheses or a comma. If Mary Brown marries John Green and changes her name, she can be listed as "Mary Green (née Brown)" or "Mary Green, née Brown."

Yes. If the widow's late husband's parents were Mary and John Smith, you put the widow's name connecting to Mary's and John's names, as if the widow was their child.

Connect them with lines. For example, if your parents are John and Mary Smith, but your half-sibling's mother is Mary Smith, connect your half-sibling to your mother, and their dad with lines. For step-siblings, first write your parents, then connect your step-parents (your parent's spouse) to the parents they married with lines. Next, write the step-parent(s)' former spouse(s) and their children (your step-siblings), then connect the lines.

Do this by varying lines and/or numbers. For example, the line could be dotted for divorce and connected for current marriage. You could have normal lines with number above showing multiple marriages and the number (e.g. first marriage etc.).

When writing the names of siblings on a tree, you start with the oldest on the left and work across horizontally. You should finish with the youngest on the right.

You would connect your brother-in-law with your sibling in a straight line to show that they are married.

Place them under the parents, but with an indicator such as a dashed or dotted line that indicates they are not blood related.

First, write your mother's name. Then, write your father's name on one side and connect it to your mother's name via a horizontal line (preferably a dotted line if they're divorced). Then, draw a vertical line in the middle that connects that line to your name. (The two lines should look like a T.) Now, write your stepfather's name on the other side of your mother's name, and connect them via a horizontal line like you did with your mother and father. If your mother and stepfather have any children together, you would create another vertical line between their two names and add your step-siblings there.

Some families will have family documents. Sometimes ancestry websites will have the documents online.

Draw a horizontal line connecting the parents and a vertical line going downwards from the middle of that line. At the bottom of your vertical line, draw another horizontal line, and add as many vertical lines (again going downwards) as you need for the correct number of siblings.

Usually the father goes on the left side. You can search online for templates.

Sketch out the layout before you draw too darkly or start writing. Leave a large space for them, and consider how much space each will need under them if they have a spouse or children. Stagger them so that some are slightly above each other, rather than all side by side, if you need even more space.

You certainly can, in the interest of a more complete tree diagram. However, a simple family tree would not require that.