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

Television genealogists may point out that Colbert’s branch of the talk show family tree is still represented by his Comedy Central brethren on “The Daily Show,” including Stewart, and John Oliver on “Last Week Tonight.”

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Rather than neatly settling the debate, the result showed that snake origins were likely complex, with different branches of the snake family tree preserving different clues about how body shape, habitat, and feeding style evolved.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

Finn and his Danish relatives had similar physical characteristics to the UK couple - light eyes and brown hair, an extended family tree showed.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

He joined Team Italy in 2023 to honor his Italian grandfather, then spent the next few years championing the squad to anyone he could find with an Italian branch on their family tree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 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