How to
How to make a genogram
A genogram is a family diagram that shows more than who is related to whom. It records marriages, separations, divorces, new partners and deaths, so patterns across generations are easy to see. Counselors, social workers, nurses and students in family studies use it, and so do people mapping their own family.
- List the family. Give each person an ID, a name, a sex (M or F) and either an age or their years, such as 1938-2015.
- Link children to parents. For each child, enter the father's ID and the mother's ID.
- Describe each relationship. In Partner ID put the partner's ID, and in Relationship type married, divorced, separated or living together. A person with two partners lists both IDs, separated by a comma.
- Add notes. Type deceased, index person or adopted in Notes. The index person is the one the genogram is drawn for.
- Export. Download a PNG or an SVG, or copy a link that reopens the genogram.
The basic symbols
- Square for a male, circle for a female, with the age written inside.
- An X inside the symbol for someone who has died, with their years underneath.
- A double outline for the index person.
- A solid line below a couple for a marriage, a dashed line for living together, one slash for a separation, two slashes for a divorce.
- Children hang from the couple's line in the order you list them; by convention the oldest goes on the left. A dashed line and brackets mark an adopted child.
What this maker covers
It draws the structural part of a genogram: people, generations and partnerships. Emotional relationship lines, such as close, distant or conflicted, and household boundaries are not drawn yet. If you need them, export the SVG and add them in a drawing app; every symbol and line stays editable.
Tip
Details about a family can be sensitive. Everything you type stays in your browser, and a copied link holds the data in the address itself, so share it only with people who should see it.
Genogram or pedigree?
To follow an inherited trait through a family with affected and carrier symbols, use the pedigree chart maker instead.
Questions people ask
Is there a free genogram maker online?
Yes. This genogram maker is free, needs no account and runs in your browser, so family details stay on your device. Enter the people and how they are related, then download the genogram as a PNG for a report or an SVG for print. Copy link saves the whole family in a shareable address.
What symbols are used in a genogram?
The basics are shared with medical pedigrees: squares for males, circles for females, an X inside the symbol for someone who has died, and a double outline for the index person. Lines between partners show the relationship: solid for married, dashed for living together, one slash for separated and two slashes for divorced.
What is the difference between a genogram and a family tree?
A family tree lists ancestors and descendants. A genogram adds the quality of the relationships and events that matter to the family, such as divorces, remarriages, deaths and health conditions, with standard symbols. That is why counselors, social workers and family therapists use genograms to discuss patterns across generations.
How many generations should a genogram show?
Most genograms cover at least three generations: the index person's generation, their parents and their grandparents. That is usually enough to see patterns repeat. Add a fourth when children or great-grandparents matter to the story. The maker places each generation in its own row automatically, however many you add.