Family tree

A family tree is a chart used in genealogy to show the family connections between individuals, consisting of the individuals' names (usually accompanied by dates, and often also places and occupations) connected by various types of line representing marriages, extra-marital unions, and progeniture. Some use the term only for charts showing strict patrilineal descent, although in common usage the term is used much more generally.

In situations where one is restricted to using plain text, it is often easier to show a person's ancestry using an Ahnentafel rather than a tree.

For a particularly complex example of a family tree, see Family Tree of the Greek Gods or Family Tree of the Royal Family.

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A family tree is also the name given to an apple tree where several different varieties of apples have been grafted on to the same root-stock. This has a number of advantages, in enabling pollination between the different varieties, and in spreading out fruit production as the different varieties mature at different times.