Relational Genealogy Network
SimplifiedTraditionalEN日本語

Create a Digital Family Tree Online for Free

Sign Up Free to Build a Family Tree

Start with yourself and add parents, spouses, children, and more relatives. The system automatically organizes generations and kinship relationships. Invite family members to confirm information together, so scattered names, photos, and family memories gradually become a digital family tree that can be maintained over time.

Illustration of a multi-generation family relationship network
01

Family Relationship Network

Add parents, spouses, children, siblings, and more relatives around yourself to form a family relationship network that can be collaboratively maintained over time.

Digital genealogy tree on a tablet
02

Digital Genealogy

Automatically organized by generation, direct line, and collateral branch position, generating a genealogy tree closer to a formal lineage structure for family members to view together.

Relatives viewing and checking family tree information together
03

Family Collaboration

Send a confirmation link to family members so those familiar with the details can add and verify information together, reducing incorrect entries, omissions, and duplicate people.

What Is a Family Tree, and Why Compile One Today?

A family tree is not only an arrangement of names and generations, but also a record of a family’s origins, migrations, marriages, occupations, stories, photos, and shared memories. A digital family tree allows information to be recorded first, then confirmed by relatives, and continuously supplemented and preserved within the family.

Family Tree

Centered on a family or a line of descendants, it records parents, spouses, children, ancestors, siblings, and the continuation of later generations.

Genealogy

Within the scope of people sharing the same surname and ancestry or the same branch, it often includes hall names, ancestral commanderies, generational names, origins, migrations, and family figures.

Clan Genealogy

It places greater emphasis on the clan community, ancestral halls, genealogy prefaces, family rules and teachings, ancestral hall property and rituals, and the order of transmission across generations.

What a Digital Family Tree Can Do

First place information scattered across elders’ memories, WeChat groups, old photos, printed genealogies, and family oral accounts into the same structure, then gradually check and improve it.

Family Relationship Network

Record parents, spouses, children, siblings, ancestors, and collateral relatives, and show the kinship connections between each person.

Genealogy Tree

Generate a lineage structure based on generations, direct lines, collateral branches, spouses, and children, making it easier to view relationships between older and younger generations in the family.

Person Profiles

Save each relative’s name, gender, date of birth, location, spouse, children, life history, photos, and notes.

Multi-Person Collaboration

Use invitation links to let relatives confirm their own identities and information, reducing incorrect entries, omissions, and duplicate records.

Information Confirmation

Keep a verification process for personal relationships and important information, allowing family members to gradually confirm family information from different sources.

Long-Term Maintenance

A family tree is no longer a one-time document, but a family database that can be continuously supplemented, revised, shared, and passed down.

Which Families Should Start Building a Family Tree Now?

The old genealogy has gaps and needs to be continued and updated Family members are scattered in different places and need to confirm kinship relationships together Elders’ memories are valuable and oral materials need to be recorded as soon as possible Children want to learn about their ancestors and family origins A clan association needs to organize information on branches of the same lineage Overseas relatives are tracing their roots and need to establish ancestral hometown clues A family business wants to preserve its founding and succession stories Old photos, manuscripts, and inscriptions need to be digitized

Family Tree Creation Process

01

Sign Up to Build a Family Tree

Create an account and first set up your own profile and basic family information.

02

Add Family Members

Start with parents, spouses, and children, then gradually add ancestors and collateral branches.

03

Invite Confirmation

Send the link to relatives so they can confirm and add their own information.

04

Organize and Proofread

Merge duplicate individuals and verify lineage, generational names, place names, and birth and death information.

05

Generate a Family Tree

View the family relationship network, family tree, and detailed genealogical records for each person.

06

Ongoing Maintenance

Update promptly after important family events, and regularly review and back up the records.

Genealogy Knowledge and FAQs

These are also among the topics many families search for most often when they begin creating a family tree, clan genealogy, or lineage record.

Does ZongMai charge for building a genealogy online?

Registration and online digital family tree creation are free. You can start by adding relatives from yourself and view the family tree and family relationship network.

Can I start a family tree without complete information?

Yes. First enter the relatives and relationships you can confirm, then invite family members to gradually supplement and verify the information.

How can family members improve the family tree together?

The creator can send confirmation links to relatives, allowing the person themselves or family members familiar with the situation to confirm identities, relationships, and information.

Will information about living relatives be made public?

Family tree information is primarily maintained within the family. Sensitive information such as ID numbers and detailed addresses should not be displayed on public pages. Authorization from the person concerned or the family should also be obtained before entry.

How do you write a family tree?

You can start by clearly recording yourself, parents, spouse, children, ancestors, and siblings, then add dates of birth, locations, brief biographies, photos, migration places, and generational names. For information that cannot be confirmed for the time being, the source and confirmation status should be recorded.

How can generational name order be checked?

Generational names usually come from old genealogies, ancestral hall inscriptions, oral accounts from elders, clan association materials, or local branch records. Even for the same surname, different hall names or different migrating ancestors may have completely different generational names.

What do ancestral hall names and commandery origins mean?

A commandery origin is a historically influential regional identifier for a surname or branch, while an ancestral hall name is often used for ancestral halls, genealogies, tombstones, and clan identity. Actual usage should be based on the old genealogy of the branch and local documents.

Should women, spouses, and children be included in the genealogy?

Modern digital family trees are recommended to fully record real family relationships, and women, spouses, and children can all be saved as family members.

Can a family tree still be created without an old genealogy?

Yes. Many families start with existing family relationships, first recording information within three generations, then gradually completing it through relatives’ oral accounts, old photos, tombstones, household registration clues, and local documents.

What if only the elderly remember the family’s past?

It is recommended to make oral records as soon as possible. Start with audio or video recordings, then organize them into short biographies, migration stories, family chronologies, and genealogy notes.

Must a family tree include full dates of birth?

Not necessarily, but full dates of birth help distinguish people with the same name and confirm generational relationships. If uncertain, you can record only the year or mark it as “circa.”

How should information about deceased relatives be recorded?

You can record the year of death, burial place, life history, spouse and children, photos, and relatives’ oral accounts. In a digital genealogy, the person can be marked as deceased to help later generations identify them.

How can people with the same name be distinguished in a family tree?

They can be distinguished by year of birth, parents, spouse, children, place of residence, birth order, generational name, and notes, to avoid merging people from different branches.

Will duplicate entries occur if multiple people enter information together?

Duplicates may occur, so names, mobile numbers, parent-spouse-child relationships, and birth information should be compared, and duplicates should be merged after they are found.

Who is best suited to confirm family tree information?

A person’s own information is best confirmed by that person. Information about deceased relatives can be jointly confirmed by the spouse, children, siblings, or elders familiar with the family situation.

What is the difference between a family tree and a family relationship network?

A family tree emphasizes generations and lineage structure, making it suitable for viewing ancestors and descendants. A family relationship network emphasizes all kinship links, making it suitable for viewing relationships such as parents, spouses, children, and siblings.

How are spouses displayed in a family tree?

In a digital genealogy, a spouse is displayed in association with the person and clearly linked to the children they share.

How should remarriage or multiple spouses be recorded?

Each marriage, spouse, and corresponding children should be recorded separately according to the actual relationships, to avoid mixing children born to different spouses.

Can adopted children be included in the genealogy?

Yes. It is recommended to note facts such as adoption, stepchildren, or foster relationships in the remarks. The formal presentation in the genealogy can be discussed by the family.

Should a daughter’s children be recorded?

Yes. A digital family tree records real kinship relationships, and daughters and their children are part of the family relationship network.

How should a matrilocal marriage be recorded?

The actual marriage and child relationships should be recorded, with notes explaining the matrilocal marriage, surname change, succession, and other circumstances to avoid misunderstanding by later generations.

How should an adoption for succession be recorded?

For adoption for succession, it is recommended to retain clues for both the biological parents and adoptive parents, and clearly state the time, reason, and basis for the adoption in the notes.

Can ID numbers be recorded in a family tree?

It is not recommended to display ID numbers in a public family tree. Necessary identity information may be stored carefully for internal management, but privacy and authorization should be taken into account.

Can a mobile number be used for identity identification?

A mobile number is suitable for login and invitation confirmation, but it cannot fully replace identity verification. Genealogical relationships should still be confirmed together with kinship relationships and personal confirmation.

Who owns the family tree data?

Family tree information should be jointly managed by the family that entered it or authorized family members, and the platform should provide capabilities for saving, exporting, and privacy protection.

Can a family tree be made public to search engines?

Information involving living relatives is not recommended for public disclosure. Suitable public content includes surname culture, ancestral hall names and commandery origins, genealogy knowledge, and historical materials that do not contain private information.

How can old photos be added to a family tree?

Archive by person, family event, era, and location, and add names, shooting dates, locations, and story notes next to the photos.

Can tombstone information be used as evidence for a genealogy?

It can serve as an important clue, especially for names, birth order, dates of birth and death, spouses, children, and ancestral hometowns, but it is still recommended to cross-check it against old genealogies and oral accounts.

How should old place names in a genealogy be handled?

Old place names should be kept in their original form, with the corresponding current province, city, district, or approximate area added to help later generations understand migration routes.

How should lunar and Gregorian birth dates be recorded?

It is best to record the type of date. If elders only remember the lunar date, it should be marked as lunar to avoid errors caused by later conversion.

Is it necessary to record the time of birth?

The time of birth is not required, but some families value traditional records, so it can be preserved as optional information.

Should occupation and education be included in a genealogy?

They can be included, but should be kept concise. Occupation, education, and major life experiences can help later generations understand a person’s life and historical context.

How should a brief biography be written?

A brief biography can include birthplace, family relationships, career experience, personal qualities and deeds, migration changes, major contributions, and memories from relatives, while avoiding vague general praise.

What should be included in a family chronology?

It can record relocation, house building, starting a business, military service, school advancement, weddings and funerals, ancestor worship activities, and other important family events.

Where can family teachings and rules be placed?

They can be included as a genealogy appendix or a family culture page, recording ancestral instructions, family values, family rules, ritual guidelines, and shared agreements among descendants.

What is a genealogy preface?

A genealogy preface is an introductory section at the beginning of a genealogy, usually explaining the reason for compiling it, the family’s origins, recording principles, scope of materials, and significance of inheritance.

What are editorial notes?

Editorial notes explain the compilation rules of a genealogy, such as generational order, person-entry format, how women are recorded, rules for spouses and children, and methods for citing sources.

What is a lineage chart?

A lineage chart uses a tree structure to show the line of succession from ancestors to descendants, and is one of the core structures in a genealogy.

How is a generational table made?

A generational table lists people in order by generation, and may include generation names, birth order, spouses, and children.

What does branch lineage mean?

A branch lineage refers to a branch system formed by descendants of the same ancestor in different regions or through different descendant lines.

What does founding ancestor mean?

A founding ancestor usually refers to the person who moved a particular branch into a place, began its continuity there, and was later honored by descendants as the source of that branch.

What does migration ancestor mean?

A migration ancestor is an ancestor of key significance in a family’s relocation process, often used to distinguish branches in different regions.

Are the original ancestor and the first-generation ancestor the same?

Not necessarily. The original ancestor may refer to the source of a surname or a distant ancestor, while the first-generation ancestor often refers to the first ancestor recorded in the genealogy of a specific branch.

How can a hall name be confirmed?

A hall name can be found from old genealogy covers, ancestral hall plaques, tombstones, clan association materials, and local documents, and should not be judged solely by a commonly used hall name for the same surname.

How can an ancestral commandery be confirmed?

An ancestral commandery is a historical regional identifier often found in surname culture materials. For a specific branch, however, old genealogies and local branch records should still be the basis.

Do people with the same surname necessarily belong to the same clan?

Not necessarily. Many surnames have multiple origins, so people with the same surname may not share the same clan, and people of the same clan may have different surnames because of migration or surname changes.

Can different surnames appear in the same genealogy?

Yes. Spouses, maternal lines, in-laws, adoption, surname changes, and succession by adoption can all cause different surnames to appear in the same family records.

Who should a genealogy start with?

It is usually easiest to start with yourself, then add parents and grandparents upward, children and descendants downward, and gradually expand to collateral lines.

Can I start if I only know my grandparents’ names?

Yes. First establish the known relationships, then invite relatives to add ancestral hometowns, dates of birth and death, siblings, and migration information.

What if I do not know the ancestral hometown?

You can first record the current residence and elders’ oral accounts, then continue checking old photos, tombstones, household registration records, genealogies, place names, and clan connections.

Should people in a genealogy be ordered by age or generation name?

People of the same generation are often ordered by birth order or ranking, while formal genealogies may also refer to generation names and branch rules.

How should siblings be arranged?

They are generally arranged by birth order. If it cannot be confirmed, they may be temporarily ordered according to known information, with the basis for the order noted.

Why are people missing from the genealogy tree?

Common reasons include incomplete entry of kinship relationships, parents or spouses not being linked, duplicate people not being merged, or rules filtering out members outside the branch.

Why are the relationship lines wrong?

Incorrect relationship lines usually result from inconsistent entry of parents, spouses, children, or siblings, and need to be checked in the person relationships.

How can I check whether genealogy relationships are correct?

You can check each person’s parents, spouse, children, and siblings one by one, then see whether the genealogy tree and relationship network are consistent.

What families are traditional-style genealogical records suitable for?

They are suitable for families that value a sense of ceremony, want to preserve a traditional genealogical style, and also want to record personal information in a modern way.

Will young people read genealogies?

If a genealogy is only a thick book, younger people may not read it; if they can view relationships, photos, and stories on their phones, it is easier to understand and pass on.

What is a mini program suitable for?

A mini program is suitable for relatives to view and confirm information, share profiles, add photos, and enter details on site during family gatherings.

What is a website suitable for?

A website is suitable for centralized editing, batch organization, viewing large relationship networks, proofreading information, and management.

What is the relationship between a genealogy and a memoir?

A genealogy records relationships and lineages, while a memoir records people’s experiences and stories. Combining the two brings family memory closer to completeness.

Can family videos and images be included in a genealogy?

Yes. Visual and audio materials can be part of individual profiles or family chronicles, recording voices, appearances, and scenes of daily life.

How should elders be interviewed for a genealogy?

Start by asking about family members, ancestral hometowns, migrations, marriages, occupations, and important events, then use old photos to confirm people and stories one by one.

What if an elder cannot remember the year clearly?

You can record an approximate period, such as “around the 1960s,” and later verify it through documents, gravestones, photos, and relatives’ memories.

What should be done when genealogy information conflicts?

Do not delete conflicting information directly. Keep the different accounts and note their sources, then update them after more evidence is confirmed.

Who is suitable for maintaining a digital genealogy?

It is best handled by someone who knows the family well, communicates effectively, and is willing to maintain the information over the long term. Multiple people can also divide the work and collaborate.

How should clan association materials be organized?

They can be categorized by branch, region, contact person, lineage, generation names, and activity records, then gradually imported into the digital genealogy.

How should overseas relatives begin tracing their roots?

Start by confirming the ancestral hometown, surname spelling in pinyin, time of migration, elders’ names, genealogy photos, and immigration routes, then look for clues from local branches.

How should migration records for journeys to Nanyang be recorded?

You can record the place of origin, destination, time, occupation, family contacts, distribution of descendants, and records of contact with the hometown.

How should migration records for Chuang Guandong be recorded?

You can record the original hometown, migration into Northeast China, reasons for migration, place of settlement, distribution of descendants, and connections with the original branch.

How can genealogies be researched for Huguang migration to Sichuan?

You can look for clues in old local genealogies in Sichuan, oral accounts of ancestral hometowns, generation names, ancestral halls, place names, and materials from clans with the same surname.

Should famous people be included in a clan genealogy?

Historical famous figures can be included, but surname-culture figures should be distinguished from people in the family’s own branch to avoid mistaking a famous person with the same surname for an ancestor of that branch.

Can a genealogy record ordinary people?

Of course. The meaning of a genealogy is not only to record famous people, but to ensure that every ordinary person’s life is remembered by their family.

How should children’s information be protected?

Information about minors should be displayed with caution. Public pages are not recommended to show detailed birthdays, schools, addresses, or contact information.

How should the privacy of living relatives be handled?

Sensitive information such as living relatives’ contact details, full addresses, and ID numbers should not be made public, and sharing should also be authorized by the person or family.

Can a genealogy be visible only to family members?

Yes. A digital genealogy should mainly be viewed within the family, with access controlled through invitations or login permissions.

Does a genealogy need to be updated every year?

It is recommended to update it every year or after important family events, such as births, marriages, moves, deaths, further education, and starting a business.

Can genealogy data be backed up?

It should be backed up regularly, and important materials are best stored both in the cloud and on local devices.

What are the rules for naming photos in a genealogy?

It is recommended to name them by year, person, and event, such as “1988-Jian XX-Chengdu group photo,” to make future searches easier.

What if an old handwritten genealogy is hard to understand?

You can first take photos to preserve it, then ask someone familiar with traditional Chinese characters, variant characters, genealogy formats, and local place names to help interpret it.

How should traditional and variant Chinese characters be handled?

The original writing from the genealogy should be preserved, while simplified or commonly used forms should be added to the digital records to make searching and reading easier.

How should generation characters in old genealogies be read?

Generation characters usually appear in the names of people of the same generation, and may also be listed separately in generation poems, prefaces, or explanatory notes.

Can a genealogy record cemetery locations?

Approximate burial locations and grave-sweeping information can be recorded, but precise locations should not be made public, especially when privacy and safety are involved.

How should ancestral hall materials be organized?

You can record the ancestral hall’s name, address, plaques, couplets, construction date, sacrificial activities, photos, and related inscriptions.

How should inscriptions be entered?

It is recommended to keep photos of the original text, then organize the transcribed text, translation, relationships among people, time and place, and source notes.

How should era names in genealogies be converted?

The original era name can be preserved while adding the Gregorian year; the basis for conversion should be saved together with the original text.

Does a genealogy need a map?

A migration route map is very valuable and can show the ancestral hometown, place of departure, place of settlement, and distribution of descendants.

How can a genealogy be combined with a surname culture page?

The surname culture page provides references on origins, hall names, commandery associations, and migrations, while the genealogy page records this family’s real information. The two complement each other.

How should sources be cited in a genealogy?

We recommend noting whether information comes from old genealogies, oral accounts from elders, gravestones, photos, documents, local gazetteers, or clan materials, so future generations can verify it.

Can a genealogy be divided into volumes?

Yes. When there are many people, it can be divided into volumes by branch, region, generation, or family division for easier reading and management.

What does “family division” mean?

A family division usually refers to a genealogical sub-branch formed by different sons or branches of the same ancestor. It is a common classification method in traditional clan genealogies.

Are “generation” and “generation level” the same in a genealogy?

They are often used interchangeably in daily usage, but different genealogies may count them differently. When creating a genealogy, the rules should be unified and the basis should be noted.

How should a genealogy be named?

It can be named using the surname, region, hall name, and branch, such as “Genealogy of the X Family,” “Genealogy of the X Family in X Place,” or “Clan Genealogy of the X Family of X Hall.”

Can a digital genealogy be preserved long-term?

Long-term preservation depends on data backups, open formats, account management, and ongoing family maintenance. Important materials should be backed up in multiple places.

Does a genealogy have to be very complete to be valuable?

No. Recording the relatives and stories that can be confirmed now is already a way to preserve clues for future generations.

1 / 20

Genealogy-Related Content

Continue browsing genealogy knowledge, information templates, surname culture, and family memory content.

Displayed strictly by generation, direct-line, and collateral-line positions, suitable for viewing the formal genealogical structure.

0 members
Official Lineage

Family Lineage Chart

Male frameFemale frameGender to be added frameSpouseLineageBlack textLivingRed textDeceased
Invite family members to help complete the family tree

Share via WeChat to invite relatives to complete their information. When you need to arrange lineage or create a genealogy book, you can use the “ZongMai Genealogy Tool” to create a complete family tree.

ZongMai Genealogy Compilation SystemLoading genealogy compilation project

Genealogy Compilation Project

Define the editorial scope of this genealogy

Not saved

Inclusion Scope

Select people from existing relationships

0 people included

Person Details in Project

Keep current names unchanged; set genealogical names separately for this genealogy

Click a person to edit
Select an included person from the left

Branches and Generations

Establish Unified Naming Rules for the Entire Genealogy

Branch DirectoryPerson in Charge, Founding Ancestor, and Starting Generation
Generation Names and Generation Reference
Required Information for Finalization

Book Table of Contents

Front Matter, Core Body, and Back Matter Appendices

0chapters included0chapters completed0chapters to be written

Pre-publication Verification

Check the information before moving to layout

0Block Finalization
0Pending Review
0Suggested Improvements

Templates and Publishing

The same person profile can generate different layouts

Draft

Old Genealogy Recognition

Turn old family genealogy records at home into a family tree you can keep improving

Upload photos or PDFs of genealogy pages, and the system will recognize the original text and family relationships. After you confirm everything is correct, import it into “My Family Tree.”
  1. 1Upload old genealogy recordsPhotos or PDF
  2. 2Automatic recognitionText and people
  3. 3Confirm relationshipsCheck against the original pages one by one
  4. 4Import to family treeWrite once after confirmation

Upload old genealogy records

PDF, JPG, PNG, and TIFF are supported. Please take photos as straight and clear as possible. You can select multiple genealogy pages at once.

Recognizing old genealogy records

Organizing genealogy pages. Please do not close this page.

0 pages0 pages recognized0%

Confirm family relationships

AI recognition may contain errors. Please compare with the original genealogy record and confirm, edit, or exclude each relationship.

0 / 0 checked

Relationships checked

Final confirmation of import scope

Please select “Self” from the recognition results. The system will connect relatives starting from Self and import them into the family tree all at once.

0 relationships confirmed0 people waiting to be connected

Shows the complete linked relationships between you and all recorded relatives, with horizontal and vertical scrolling available.

0 members

Members and Invitations

Select a member and copy their dedicated confirmation link.

Genealogy Information

Set the genealogy name, surname, and ancestral hall name/region.

Oral Memoir Editorial Desk

Turn spoken stories into evidence-based memoirs

Each round of storytelling automatically saves the original audio and transcript. AI asks follow-up questions based on what has been shared, personal profiles, and historical clues.

Memoir

Create the First Personal Memoir

Start by entering the protagonist’s basic information. The system will begin guiding the interview through childhood, family, education, work, and experiences of the times.

POINTS BALANCE

Points

Used across the ZongMai platform for services that support points-based settlement.

Currently Available--points
Paid Points
--
Bonus Points
--
Task Freeze
--

Bonus points are used first for spending; if a task is not completed, frozen points will be returned according to their original type.

Top-Up Packages

100 points = 1 yuan. No extra bonus points are included with top-ups in this phase.

Top-Up Records

Payment results and refund status are subject to WeChat Pay notifications.

WeChat Pay

Scan to Top Up Points

WeChat Pay QR Code for Points
--

Please scan with WeChat to complete payment

Points will be credited automatically after successful payment. The current package does not include extra bonus points.
Get Started in Three Steps

Create a New Memoir

1. Who are you recording for?

2. How would you like to record it?

3. Fill in some basic information

After it is created, AI will generate a life outline based on eras, regions, and experiences. The outline can be edited, and unsuitable questions can be skipped.

Interview sessions

Start a new interview

Text Editing

Transcript

Let AI Help You Organize

The original text will not be overwritten. Review each item after processing, then save it as a new version.

Facts such as names, dates, locations, organizations, and military unit designations must be confirmed by the person concerned; AI will not automatically treat suggestions as factual information.

Life Outline

Add chapter

Source Indexing

Organize Photo Materials

People in the Image