family tree

American  

noun

1. a genealogical chart showing the ancestry, descent, and relationship of all members of a family or other genealogical group.

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family tree British  

noun

1. Also called: genealogical tree.  a chart showing the genealogical relationships and lines of descent of a family

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Etymology

Origin of family tree

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Teeth can reveal a great deal, but scientists need more fossil material before they can formally name the species and understand where it fits on the human family tree.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

To place this species within the rhino family tree, Fraser and her team analyzed 57 other rhinocerotid species, most of which are extinct.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

From there, investigators can sometimes find distant relatives to help piece together a family tree that can point to a suspect, said CeCe Moore, a genetic genealogist and co-founder of DNA Justice.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

A family tree hangs in the boardroom and some of the company’s oldest weapons, including a musket from 1830, are displayed in an archive of more than 1,500 pieces.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

I’ve seen my name—in bright blue ink—right there among the male names of our family tree.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai