Family Group Trees Learning Center
Connect your living family
Gather your family into a group, and see the same living tree. Involve your family in navigating their family history as a team. Enrich your history with photos, stories, and sources.
Using family group trees
Family group trees are a type of family group that lets families work together in Family Tree.
All members of a family group tree can copy people from private trees into a family group tree.
You can add cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and other living relatives to Family Tree.
A group administrator can invite people to join a family group.
Every FamilySearch user can join up to 10 family groups. To join a family group, you must receive an invitation from a group administrator.
If you have a family group tree, use the switcher in the upper-left corner of Family Tree to switch to a family group tree from your private tree.
In Family Tree, the portrait view displays your pedigree vertically. You and your descendants are at the bottom. Your ancestors are above you. You do not see your spouse’s ancestors.
Frequently asked questions
Who should use family group trees?
Family group trees benefit families who want to see each other's information in Family Tree. They can collaborate and share important life events, photos, stories, and sources about themselves and each other.
As a precaution to protect children and youth, only users over 18 can create a group. However, all users can participate in family group trees. Users younger than 18 can be designated as administrators after a group has been created.
As a precaution to protect children and youth, only users over 18 can create a group. However, all users can participate in family group trees. Users younger than 18 can be designated as administrators after a group has been created.
Are family groups and family group trees the same thing?
No. A family group is a group of FamilySearch users who have joined together to achieve a common purpose.
A family group tree is a tree that is shared with the members of your group and allows all its members to collaborate and see the same living people.
It absolutely is possible to add a family group tree to your existing family group!
A family group tree is a tree that is shared with the members of your group and allows all its members to collaborate and see the same living people.
It absolutely is possible to add a family group tree to your existing family group!
Can I be in more than one family group tree?
Yes, you can be in multiple family group trees.
Currently, you can view only one family group tree at a time within your browser. You cannot, for example, open one family group tree in one browser tab and display a different group tree in another tab in that same browser.
If you want to open more than one family group tree at a time, open them in different browsers such as one tree in Chrome and the other in Firefox.
Currently, you can view only one family group tree at a time within your browser. You cannot, for example, open one family group tree in one browser tab and display a different group tree in another tab in that same browser.
If you want to open more than one family group tree at a time, open them in different browsers such as one tree in Chrome and the other in Firefox.
What features can I use in a family group tree?
In a family group tree, you can use the same tree-related features that are available when you use the public tree, including sources, record hints, time line, memories, notes, and so forth.
A few Family Tree features are not available for living people in Family Tree, regardless of whether they are in a private tree or family group tree:
A few Family Tree features are not available for living people in Family Tree, regardless of whether they are in a private tree or family group tree:
- Discussions
- Find by name
Are there size limits for family group trees?
A family group can have up to 500 participants.
There are no limits on the number of people who can be added to the family group tree.
There are no limits on the number of people who can be added to the family group tree.
Who can see and edit information about me in a family group tree?
All group members can see and edit all of the information about you as it is displayed on your Family Tree person page.
To change how your name and contact information appears to other FamilySearch users, please visit your FamilySearch user profile and account settings.
To change how your name and contact information appears to other FamilySearch users, please visit your FamilySearch user profile and account settings.
How can I tell which tree is displayed and switch between them?
Beneath the FamilySearch logo, in the upper-left section of your screen, you will find a new selector that identifies which tree you are viewing and lets you switch between your private tree and your family group trees.
How does merging work in a family group tree?
When you add a person to a family group tree, you might create duplicate records, and that is OK.
If the same person appears more than once within the same family group tree, you can use the Merge By ID feature to merge them.
If the duplicates are in different trees, they cannot be merged. For example, you cannot merge the record of yourself from your private tree with the record of yourself in a family group tree.
If the same person appears more than once within the same family group tree, you can use the Merge By ID feature to merge them.
If the duplicates are in different trees, they cannot be merged. For example, you cannot merge the record of yourself from your private tree with the record of yourself in a family group tree.
Can I import a GEDCOM file into my family group tree?
GEDCOM imports for family group trees are not available at this time.
Can I use the Family Tree mobile app with family group trees?
At this time, you can use the iOS version of the Family Tree mobile app with family group trees.
The Android app will have this feature in the future.
The Android app will have this feature in the future.
Get started
Create your family group and start sharing your tree with your family.