Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

I've been climbing my family tree for many years, and I have to tell you that it used to be much harder than it is today - - thanks in part to the many free family tree templates available on the Internet. Once you start entering names in each generation you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it is to keep track of everyone.

Since climbing your family tree (called genealogy) is about connecting one generation to the previous generation (i.e. you to your parents, your parents to their parents) it's critical to make sure each person is entered on the correct branch of the tree.

Although you may think keeping track of everyone is easy, consider this: The number of your direct ancestors doubles with each generation (2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents). And this doesn't even include aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters. By the time you go back 10 generations you have over 1,000 direct ancestors. Keeping all those people straight without having them on a chart or tree template is almost impossible.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates

There are two basic types of charts that you'll want to download.

The first is a pedigree chart. A pedigree chart tracks your family back generation by generation, starting with you.

The second is a family group sheet. This chart contains information about a single family unit (husband, wife, kids).

The pedigree chart is like a wide-angle lens - it gives you the whole picture; a family group sheet is like a zoom lens because it zooms in on one small bit of the tree.

If you own genealogy software you probably already have access to free family tree templates. But if you don't have software you can easily find templates by using your favorite search engine and looking for search phrases such as "family tree templates", "family tree forms", "pedigree chart", or "family group sheet".

Or, you can download these two forms plus lots more for free over at the website for Family Tree Magazine or Family Tree Templates.

Once you really get into climbing the family tree you'll probably want to download even more templates for things like

a research log (keeps track of websites you searched) a correspondence log (keeps track of who you e-mailed for information) cemetery form (write down tombstone inscriptions) scrapbook forms (to make family tree scrapbook pages) circular, bow tie, and hourglass forms (pedigree charts)

One of the best things about getting started in genealogy is having a high level of excitement and anticipation about who and what you'll find. Use templates to record your finds and you'll be on your way to climbing higher and higher up the family tree.

Where to Find Free Printable Family Tree Templates
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Nancy Hendrickson is a professional genealogy researcher, author and instructor. She specializes in helping people trace their ancestors using Internet tools and techniques. Considered an expert in Internet genealogy, Hendrickson has been interviewed by national publications including the New York Times and Better Homes and Gardens.

Nancy invites you to download her Family Tree Idea Book and learn more about researching your genealogy at http://www.ancestornews.com. If you've ever wondered about your family's past, join her in a voyage that may take you where you never expected and show you things you never imagined would happen in your own family.

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Examples of Family Tree Types and Styles From Yesterday and Today

The internet allows us to view many different examples of family trees. They range in style from simple charts, designed strictly to provide information, to decorative, artistic creations suitable for framing and displaying.

The tree design can be used to show an individual's ancestors or to show an individual's descendants. Usually, if an individual's ancestors are to be displayed, the individual's name is recorded at the base of the tree or on the trunk. The "branches" extend upwards and out. The tree is wider on the top and narrower on the bottom.

If an individual's descendants are to be recorded, the tree design can still be used. Think of the shape of a Christmas tree and you'll understand.

Examples of Family Tree Types and Styles From Yesterday and Today

The top or peak of the tree would be the individual's name. His or her children would be listed next, followed by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. So, the tree would be wider near the trunk and narrower at the top.

Some of the oldest examples of family trees are found in the Bible and in records pertaining to the Chinese dynasties. The British and other royal families have recorded their family's histories as well.

One of the oldest examples of an artistically pleasing descendant tree is the "Jesse tree", which shows images of the descendants of Jesse of Bethlehem, father of David, an ancestor of Jesus Christ. A stained-glass window showing the image can be seen in Chartres Cathedral. It was created in 1145 AD.

The longest known tree is the one that includes Confucius, who was the descendant of King Tang, the first ruler of the Shang dynasty. It dates back to 1675 BC, spans 80 generations and currently includes over 2 million names.

Some examples of family trees are both informative and decorative. For example, in most European countries, they include the coat of arms worn by each of the ancestors and the individual. Most go back only four generations. To go back further would make the top row very cluttered, unless the painting was very large.

Today, we have many options for recording our family's names. Software packages that include designer templates ranging from the simple to the complex are available for an affordable price. The software makes doing the research easier, too.

In most cases, the tree is used as a background. Names may be included on the leaves or in a linear fashion, extending from the tree.

The fan style is another popular option for ancestral trees. Your name would be the "handle" of the fan. Your ancestors' names would appear in the blades of the fan.

With the right software, you can choose the size and color of the fan. As you continue to enter names, the fan becomes wider.

Much of today's software includes numerous examples of family trees of famous people and common surnames. You can learn about the origin of your surname. For example, if you happen to be a "Rose", your ancestors originally lived in Roos in Yorkshire, before migrating to Scotland.

If you live in the US, you can easily find out when and where your family's name first appeared in the country. For example, the Roses first settled in Virginia and New England in 1635. Sometimes, it is easier to work forward from probable ancestors than it is to work backwards to reach them.

Experienced genealogy researchers have published many examples of family trees online. You can start your experience by investing in some good software.

Examples of Family Tree Types and Styles From Yesterday and Today
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Gracie has been interested in searching for her ancestors for a long time. She got so enthusiastic about it that her family is now helping. They are extremely excited about the possibility they might be related to some famous person. Perhaps you have a famous person as an ancestor. It is fun to find out. For many great suggestions on how you can look for your ancestors, and to sign up for a free mini-course, Genealogy, finding your ancestors [http://www.familytree-center.com] visit [http://www.familytree-center.com]

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Sympathy Words - How to Write Words of Sympathy in Cards and Letters

Sympathy words in a letter or sympathy card can be an encouraging ray of light to someone who has recently lost a loved one. After a death, things can seem bleak and depressing, and words of sympathy are often a helpful way for the bereaved to cope with their loss. Receiving mail from friends and loved ones showing that they care in a difficult time is a great source of comfort.

As a friend of the bereaved, however, finding the right sympathy words to show how much you care can be difficult. has free examples of sympathy words and sayings you can use to help you write your own sympathy card or letter.

Finding the right sympathy words, although not an easy task, is well worth the time and effort you'll spend. The survivor will receive many pre-printed sympathy words in the form of cards and other greetings, but very few handwritten sympathy messages. By taking the time to write your own words of sympathy on a purchased greeting card, you're showing your friend that they're special to you and that you sincerely want to help them through a difficult time. Your words of comfort and support will serve as a reminder of your love for the deceased, and may be treasured for years to come.

Sympathy Words - How to Write Words of Sympathy in Cards and Letters

Tips for Writing Sympathy Words

When you sit down to compose your letter or card, be transparent about your feelings. Don't feel that you need to "dress up" your words, use flowery language, or be excessively fancy. Instead, write your sympathy message as if you're speaking to your friend face-to-face. They'll appreciate a genuine message from your heart more than a contrived sympathy message that you had to work to write. There are many sample sympathy words for cards and letters available online that can give you a clear idea of what to write.

If you're sending a card, you can either write your message on the non-printed area inside, or jot it on a piece of stationary and tuck it into the card. If writing a letter, take the time to pen it by hand. Don't send a sympathy letter printed on the computer or a card with your signature pre-printed - you want the sympathy message to be as personal as possible.

Send your sympathy words in a timely manner. A general rule of thumb is to mail out the card or letter no more than two weeks after the death. This generally means that your words of sympathy will arrive shortly after the funeral - a time when your loved one will need them most. If you've procrastinated, however, don't feel as though you cannot send your sympathy message. Your heartfelt words are sure to be appreciated, even if they're a bit delayed.

Words of Sympathy to Include in Your Message

There are some basic elements that should always be included in a sympathy letter. By including all of these elements, you'll end up with a nicely written sympathy letter each time you need one, without struggling to find the right words.

First, you should sincerely express your sympathy for your loved one's loss. Mention the deceased by name, and refer to them casually or by a nickname if appropriate. Avoid using overly formal language if you had a friendly relationship.

Secondly, include a memory of the deceased if possible. Mention their character strengths or endearing qualities, and demonstrate to the survivor that their loved one will be missed.

Last, choose a personal closing for your letter. Use words that show the reader that they're in your thoughts, such as "Wishing you Peace" or "Thinking of You". Generic greeting such as "Sincerely", while appropriate, lack a personal touch.

Sympathy words can be difficult to write, but are always appreciated. By taking the time to write genuine words of sympathy and send them to your loved one, you're demonstrating how much you care and showing them that their family member will be missed. By using these tips and guidelines, you can craft sympathy words that will encourage and comfort your friends and family in difficult times.

Sympathy Words - How to Write Words of Sympathy in Cards and Letters
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Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Free Sympathy Words and Sayings examples, genealogy resources, guides to building a family tree, written examples of eulogies as well as help with funeral planning.

Melanie Walters is a writer and editor for http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ the complete online resource for sympathy, obituaries, genealogy and funeral help. Find free words of sympathy messages, sample sympathy words and sympathy sayings; newspaper obituaries listings; research your ancestry, genealogy and family tree.

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Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent

Condolence letters offer comfort and support long after the death of a parent, which can take years to accept. Your condolence letter can be a source of comfort throughout those difficult years. As we grow older, we start to reconcile with the fact that our parents are likely to die before us. Our parents are living longer, which give us more time to come to terms with their death. But when faced with the reality of their death, it is very difficult to overcome emotions of grief and bewilderment. A condolence letter written sincerely can help the bereaved adult child through the difficult times ahead.

Adult Children Dealing with the Death of a Parent
Regardless of your age and experience, your parent is always your parent. Your bond with your parents is a part of your identity that never goes away. Everyone can relate to the death of a parent, biological or not, grandparent or guardian.

Each of us is a son or a daughter, who at some point will lose a parent. You can use this knowledge as a basis for your condolence letter to the bereaved adult child. If you've already lost a parent, think back to what you felt and how you reacted and imagine that's what the bereaved is feeling right now. If you haven't already lost a parent, imagine what that might be like for yourself and the bereaved. Jot down those emotions and notes to use later in your condolence letter.

Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent

A friend of mine, whose father had passed, told me how terrified he was of approaching age forty-two because his father passed away at age forty-two. When parents die, you become more aware of your own mortality. Sometimes you might feel your parents have abandoned you and you are now an orphan no matter how old you are. The sense of loss overshadows everything you do.

Understanding this will help you to write an excellent condolence letter that truly comforts and supports the grieving adult child.

Dealing with Grief
For many adult children, grieving in public is unacceptable. People frown on such behavior. Friends and well-wishers focus their attention on the surviving spouse, or the grandchildren. No one recognizes that adult children are also grieving. In addition, when there is one surviving parent, the adult child feels it is his or her duty to "take care" of their parent and stifle their own grief.

Your condolence letter should acknowledge the fact that grieving is not only acceptable, but also necessary to get past the pain of losing a parent. Your condolence letter will likely be read in private when the bereaved can allow their emotions to come out, no matter what they are, sadness, anger, fear, relief, and so on.

Death after an Extended Illness
As an adult watching your parent go through a long period of severe illness is burdensome. The strain of being financially and emotionally responsible for their care is tremendous. You also have to devote a lot of your time in caring for your parent. If you consider the positive side, you will have more than enough time to prepare yourself emotionally to say your goodbyes. On the other hand, death can bring relief mixed with anger, exhaustion and depression.

Your condolence letter to the adult child of a parent who died of an extended illness should also acknowledge the dedication and commitment it took to take care of them, and now the bereaved can take rest and look after him or herself now. They did everything they could for their parent.

Writing a Condolence Letter
The death of a parent can be devastating, a relief or any emotion in between. Knowing that there is a complex relationship between parents and children and understanding that this is a difficult time no matter what the relationship was like, will help you write a touching and effective condolence letter.

The most important thing to remember is it doesn't matter what you write. Just go ahead and write that condolence letter.

Condolence Letters - Writing a Condolence Letter to an Adult Who Has Lost a Parent
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To help you get started, look at these free condolence letter examples online. You'll find excellent samples for many different situations to use as inspiration for your own letter.

Obituaries Help is also an excellent resource for other condolence message examples and sympathy resources. If you want to include a sympathy verse or sympathy quote, you'll find many examples online for free. Obituaries Help is the best free resource for letters of sympathy and condolence.

Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Condolence Letters, sample letters of sympathy and condolence, written examples of eulogies as well as help with all aspects of funeral planning. Also download free genealogy resources and read about building a family tree.

Melanie Walters created http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ to be the complete online resource for sympathy, condolence, obituaries, funeral help and genealogy. Free Sample Condolence Letters are available online to help you write your own. Also find family tree templates, newspaper obituaries listings; plan funerals and write sympathy and condolence messages using free samples and guides.

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Sympathy Words - Writing Words of Sympathy and Comfort

It's never easy to lose someone you love. It's even harder when someone you know loses someone they love. We go to the funeral home, attend the wake and meet people we haven't seen in a while. It is during this time that we say sympathy words and do things that are meant to comfort those who are grieving. Some people are not able to attend any kind of gathering, and may instead choose to put their thoughts and wishes of comfort into a sympathy letter or card.

Writing Sympathy Words is Not as Difficult as You May Think.

All it takes is a little empathy and some reflection. Chances are pretty good that you knew the deceased at least well enough to have had some good memories involving that person. After their passing, it is often comforting to others to hear or read about these happy times.

Sympathy Words - Writing Words of Sympathy and Comfort

Another important thing to keep in mind when you are writing sympathy words and condolence letters is to be sympathetic. People suffering the emotional pain associated with the loss of a loved one need to know that someone else is hurting the same way. In order to find the right words, imagine yourself in their situation and try to imagine how they must feel.

Definitely don't try to pretty up your letter too much. So many people think that it will help someone to read flowery and over descriptive language, but going overboard with that kind of style can come off as a bit insincere.

Keep Your Sympathy Words Simple

A lengthy letter or card can discourage a grieving person from reading the whole thing. Reading a long letter takes energy, and nobody really wants to spend that kind of effort to read a lengthy letter while crying. Instead of writing a lot of words, try choosing a few sympathy words wisely. You can communicate a vast amount of information with a simple sentence or two about how you will miss the deceased and will always remember the good times that you shared together.

Don't forget to mention that happy memory of the person. Mention how that person affected you in life and what his or her death means to you. Family and friends of the deceased like to hear about how that person affected or changed someone else's life, hopefully for the better. Use positive words to describe that person or their personality, such as devoted, faithful, patient, or kind.

Of course, you know that when someone is grieving, they must do it in their own way. Don't offer them unhelpful advice like 'Keep your chin up'. That's the last thing anybody wants to hear at a time like this. Aside from being the wrong thing to say, they probably will have heard it several dozen times anyway, so it can actually end up sounding a bit contrived.

When Offering Your Sympathy, Words May Not Always Be Enough

Offering help of some sort is also useful. Many grieving family members simply doing household chores can be more difficult than normal. Offer to make dinner, go to the store with them, or help out with yard work. They will appreciate the extra help while they are going through this difficult time.

Finding the right way to express words of sympathy in a letter can be easy, but writing words for the sake of writing words can actually be harmful. Remember that the person you are writing to is grieving, and they don't want to hear or read certain things. They've heard it all before from countless others, so you'll need to be sincere in offering your condolences. No sympathy words can truly take the pain of a loss away, but finding the right ones can let someone know that you are thinking of them and you know how they're feeling. Even if you don

Sympathy Words - Writing Words of Sympathy and Comfort
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Melanie Walters recommends ObituariesHelp.org for Free Sympathy Words and Sayings examples You can find examples of sympathy words at ObituariesHelp.org that will help you say just the right thing in a card or letter.

Visit http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ for genealogy resources, guides to building a family tree, written examples of eulogies as well as help with funeral planning and product reviews like online flowers delivered.

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Death Certificates - How to Find Them Online

A lot of people don't realize this, but a person's death certificate is part of the US public record. The interesting part is that the internet has made this a much easier and simpler way of getting this type of information. Normally people had to go to a physical location and search through records, but now you can get it instantly on the internet. There are a variety of reasons why a person would need such records. The most common one is for things like genealogy, where you try to build a background of a family tree. Sometimes such records are needed for lawyers and legal issues.

The problem with death certificate records is that there are just so much of them. It becomes a challenge to find exactly what you're looking for. There are a lot of sources to find this type of information like court houses and custodians, but there access is pretty limited. The internet is what makes this searching much simpler. You just have to plug in a few vital pieces of information and you'll have access to the death certificate within a few seconds. Typically you'll end up finding information like the date of birth, place of birth and address of the person you're looking up.

There are some important details that you must pay attention to when you're doing any kind of background search for a death certificate. And it doesn't matter if you're using the internet to do the search or going to one of the many government buildings that contain the vital statistics about people. Here is what you need to do to make sure that you get more accurate and speedy results.

Death Certificates - How to Find Them Online

- You should try to keep your requests short and sweet. Obviously you can't have too little information, but when you start adding in extra information you're just going to prolong the process of finding the right death certificate. When you just keep it short and simple, you end up completely with records that match instead of getting junk.

- Making sure that you have full information is also important. You should know a person's real legal name. It is amazing how many people don't use their legal name, so you could know them and not realize that you're not giving the right information. A name like Chris could legally be Kris, Christopher, or Kristopher. Knowing which one you should be using is essential. Also knowing the date of death helps a lot too, so make sure you know that statistic too.

- If you plan on going to a physical location to get a death certificate, instead of the internet, expect to be frustrated. Things don't run at a fast speed there and typically there is more red tape that you have to go through. I'd normally just say that you should skip it and use the internet because you'll save a lot of time and headaches.

With the internet, you can access the government's registry using the many services available. This comes with a small fee and it is well worth it, instead of having to comb through different sources, online and offline. The government's central registry keeps records of all deaths and by going directly to it through an online service is the easiest and fastest way to do your research.

Death Certificates - How to Find Them Online
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GovernmentRecord.us is web resource on how to use government records to search for public information. This can include getting copies of death certificates, research on military records, genealogy, background check, death records, marriage records, birth records, legal records, military records and much more.

Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way and give the author name credit. Copyright 2009 http://GovernmentRecord.us All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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Family Tree Scrapbooking - Create a Family Tree Heritage Scrapbook

Family tree scrapbooking has become a very popular pass time recently. It was also common many years ago and some people are in possession of old pictures and old family histories. Scrap books can serve many purposes and can be set up in a variety of ways. An avid genealogist might enjoy scrap booking a family tree. If you are fortunate enough to come across old family albums and scrapbooks you may have a key to your tree. While you are at it you can scrapbook your own current tree and create an heirloom and key to your past for generations to come. A complete family tree scrapbook page will help you as you research your own tree. It gives an attractive visual to all the information that you find. The page will guide you to look for the information you do not yet have and give you a place to record it.

A family tree scrapbook might look like a line chart, as a typical genealogy layout. On the other hand it may have actual features like leaves and fruit and spaces for pictures of your family members. Several scrap booking websites are available that have layouts to download to your own computer and print on the paper of your choice.

Truly crafty researchers may want to take further steps in scrap booking their own family tree. Once you have traced your family members, a scrapbook page can be converted over to a custom needlework piece. The album page can become a wall hanger, either framed in its paper form or cross-stitched on canvas. Windows also offers family tree software that can be downloaded for free and used to help you trace and record your family history.

Family Tree Scrapbooking - Create a Family Tree Heritage Scrapbook

If you choose to do a tree layout, the items you will need to scrap book your family will include archival quality supplies, as well as the data that you want to preserve. Using a favorite search engine, you will find the layout that suits your style and purposes. There are many attractive tree form scrap booking options. Download your back grounds or forms, enter dates and names on the chart, add in pictures as well, and you will have a good start on family tree scrapbooking. It will be an excellent way to preserve those family memories and histories for your children and grand children to enjoy. You will have the pleasure of doing the research, creating the documents and then of sharing it with the rest of the family.

Family Tree Scrapbooking - Create a Family Tree Heritage Scrapbook
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Daniel K. Voyles is a genealogy enthusiast. For information on family tree scrapbooking visit http://yourgenealogyhistory.com.

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