Create A Six Generation Family Tree In Google Sheets

A six-generation tree goes up to 32 great-great-great-grandparents.

Our layout in Google Sheets prints on a single landscape page. That’s perfect for bringing to libraries and archives.

If you’re too busy for the twelve steps in this tutorial, jump down to the end to grab our “done for you” Google Sheets template bundle.

What The 6-Generation Pedigree Tree Looks Like

Here is what the tree looks like. I turn the gridlines off when I print trees from Sheets.

If you want a smaller tree, we have a guide to creating a 5-generation Google Sheets tree template. But if you want bigger trees, we’ve got these covered:

Step 1: Set Column Widths And Row Heights

Create a new worksheet.

To change the width of any column, follow these steps:

  1. Select the entire column by clicking on the letter at the top.
  2. Right-click and choose “Resize column” from the drop-down menu.
  3. Enter the sizes below (this is in pixels).

Set these sizes:

  • Set columns A, D, G, J, M, and O (six columns) to size 121.
  • Set columns B, C, E, F, H, I, K, and L to 8.
  • Set column N to size 12.

Set this column height:

The spreadsheet needs at least 64 rows.

I want to get the entire tree on one printed landscape page. That means I need to decrease the row height slightly from the default.

  1. Select rows 1 to 40.
  2. Right-click and choose “Resize row” from the drop-down menu.
  3. Enter size 18.

Step 2: Start With The Home Person

We start on the left side of the sheet.

Follow these steps to create this first name area.

Merge two cells

  1. Select cells A18 and A19.
  2. Expand the Format menu in the top ribbon and choose “Merge cells”.
  3. Choose “Merge all”.

Add an outside border

  1. Select the merged cells.
  2. Expand the Borders menu in the top ribbon.
  3. Choose the “Outer Borders” option.

Set the font type, size, alignment, and color

I like to use a narrow font type that first more letters into the cell. This allows longer names to display in full. My preference is “Archivo Narrow”.

  1. Select the merged cells.
  2. Expand the font list and choose “More fonts” (if you don’t see your preferred option).
  3. Change the font type to “Archivo Narrow”.
  4. Reduce the font size to 9.

Set the text alignment

I prefer names to be left-justified and vertically centered in the merged cells.

Cells are left-justified by default so all you need to set is the vertical alignment.

  1. Select the merged cells.
  2. Expand the vertical alignment dropdown.
  3. Set to the middle option.

Format the coloring

I like to use a different color in the name field for male and female entries.

My preference is a light blue for males and light orange for females.

Of course, I don’t know if your home person is male or female so I’ll give you both instructions here.

To change the color of the name field, select the merged cells of A18 and A19.

To set the background color to light blue, this is the selection in the color palette:

To set the background color to light orange, this is the selection in the color palette:

Step 3: Create The Father Area

We are going to use copy-and-paste as much as possible in this process.

Select and copy the two merged cells A18 and A19.

Paste into cell D10.

This copies the merged cells, their border, the font, and the alignment.

It also copies the color, so change it to light blue if it’s not that at the moment.

Step 4: Copy The Father Area To Male Ancestors Up To The 5th Generation

I’ve already worked out where each ancestor should go. Just follow these placements.

Select and copy the two merged cells D10 and D11.

Select each cell below in turn and paste the selected range into the cell. This copies the two cells.

3rd Generation

  • G6
  • G22

4th Generation

  • J4
  • J12
  • J20
  • J28

5th Generation

  • M3
  • M7
  • M11
  • M15
  • M19
  • M23
  • M27
  • M31

We’ll deal with the final sixth generation later.

Step 5: Create The Mother’s Name Area

Select and copy the two merged cells A18 and A19.

Paste into cell D26.

Change the background color to light orange.

Step 6: Copy The Mother Area To Female Ancestors Up To The 5th Generation

Select and copy the merged cells D26 and D27.

Paste the range into the cells listed below. This copies the two merged cells.

3rd Generation

  • G14
  • G30

4th Generation

  • J8
  • J16
  • J24
  • J32

5th Generation

  • P5
  • P9
  • P13
  • P17
  • P21
  • P25
  • P29
  • P33

We’ll deal with the 6th generation next.

Step 7: Create The 6th Generation

This furthest generation has a different format from the others.

 In order to fit the 32 people onto a single landscape page, the layout only gives a single row to each person in this generation.

We’ll format the first male and female boxes. Then we can copy them down the column.

  1. Set the color of cell O3 to light blue.
  2. Put an outside border around O3.
  3. Set the color of cell O4 to light orange.
  4. Put an outside border around O4.

Now copy these two cells down as far as O34 is filled with a pink cell.

Now we’ll create the connector lines for this top half of the tree.

Step 8: Create Connector Lines From The Home Person To Parents

Create a vertical line using borders:

  1. Select cells C11 to C26.
  2. Place a left border along these cells.

Create three horizontal lines using borders:

  • Select cell C11 only and place a top border on this cell.
  • Select cell C26 and place a bottom border on this cell.
  • Select cell B18 and place a bottom border on this cell.

Step 9: Connector Lines From The 2nd to 3rd Generations

Create the first set of connector lines at this level:

  1. Place a left border along cells F7 to F14.
  2. Place a top border on cell F7.
  3. Place a bottom border on cell F14.
  4. Place a bottom border on cell E10.

Now we have a set of connector lines around one set of ancestors, we can copy the cells down to the other ancestors in this generation.

In other words, follow these steps:

  1. Select and copy the range of cells from E7 and F7 down to E14 and F14.
  2. Paste into cell E23.

Step 10: Connector Lines From 3rd To 4th Generations

  1. Place a left border along cells I5 to I8.
  2. Place a top border on cell I5.
  3. Place a bottom border on cell I8.
  4. Place a bottom border on cell H6.

Now copy these bordered cells to the other ancestors in this generation.

  1. Copy the range of cells from H5 and I5 to H8 and I8.
  2. Paste into cell H13.
  3. Paste into cell H21.
  4. Paste into cell H29.

Step 11: Create Connector Lines From The 4th To 5th Generation

  1. Place a left border along cells L4 to L5.
  2. Place a top border on cell L4.
  3. Place a bottom border on cell L5.
  4. Place a bottom border on cell K4.

Now copy these bordered cells to the other ancestors in this generation.

  1. Copy the range of four cells from K4 and L4 to K5 and L5.
  2. Paste into cell K8.
  3. Paste into cell K12.
  4. Paste into cell K16.
  5. Paste into cell K20.
  6. Paste into cell K24.
  7. Paste into cell K28.
  8. Paste into cell K32.

Step 12: Connector Lines From The 5th To 6th Generation

This connection is just a single horizontal line.

  1. Put a bottom border on cell N3.
  2. Copy the two-cell range of N3 and N4.
  3. Paste the cells all the way down to N33.

Step 13: Print Settings

When you print your seven-generation Google sheet, use these settings:

  • Paper Size: A4
  • Page Orientation: Landscape
  • Show gridlines: unchecked

Done-For-You Bundle

If you want a short-cut, we have pre-made templates in Google Sheets. Everything is laid out perfectly, you just need to fill it in!

We have two versions in the spreadsheet package:

  1. The classic template with names and dates.
  2. The simpler template that shows names only.

Margaret created a family tree on a genealogy website in 2012. She purchased her first DNA kit in 2017. She created this website to share insights and how-to guides on DNA, genealogy, and family research.

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