The best genealogy chart for professional genealogists? It depends.

Readers of the EasyGenie newsletter generally fall into the amateur genealogist/family historian camp. We love doing work on our own family trees. Indeed, we see it as a mission to pass along our findings to the generations that follow.

Some readers, though, are professional genealogists. They take on commissions to help others research family origins and scale imposing genealogy brick walls, often using skills such as DNA research or expertise in a certain region or surname or tribe. This may entail preparing charts or other materials as a final deliverable for the client. Here’s a question that we received about the best genealogy chart for working genealogists, certified or otherwise:

“I’ve started a business researching genealogy for others and am looking for tools to help me provide a polished finished document when someone asks for a family tree. What do you suggest for the best genealogy chart for a professional genealogist? Thanks, Shelley”

The ideal chart depends on a number of factors:

• What is the focus of the research?
• Is it limited to one line, or only descendants of a certain couple?
• If a pedigree chart is needed, how many generations will be included?

Importantly, what does the client want to do with the charts—archive them, share them with relatives, or frame one to be placed in the home?

The best genealogy chart for professional genealogists 

Here’s what I told Shelley. If the client wants a handwritten chart, I would get one of the larger charts (such as the 6 generation pedigree or 9 generation fan).

If the genealogist's handwriting is not good, hire a calligrapher to fill it in. This will be costly—I estimate at least $300 for a fully filled in 6 generation chart—but the quality is worth it. The client will receive an heirloom suitable for framing. Local calligraphers can usually be identified through wedding planners or specialist stationery stores.

Fillable genealogy PDFs for professional research

It’s also possible to use one of our fillable PDFs, especially the PDF version of the 6 generation chart that has Aramis text entry.

It can be printed at home on standard printer paper, but it’s also possible to take the PDF to Staples or a print shop and have them print it at full size (17 x 22") and then have it framed. Working genealogists taking this route will need to make individual purchases of the PDF for each client.

The problem with genealogy charts showing descendants

Descendant charts are tricky. They are hard to make using paper forms because each couple could have zero children, a few children, or more than a dozen, and you have to show their spouses and their kids too.

The closest thing we have are professional grade family group sheets, which only cover three generations but have enough room for between 17 and 24 kids of the primary couple, as well as the parents of the primary couple. Some working genealogists also like to use our large print family group sheets (30 sheets, space for 17 children on each sheet).

Preserving genealogy stories

Finally, for ancestors requiring more detail, the Genealogy Stories Kit can highlight the other information that makes family history so important. In particular, the Genealogy Dossier can be used to build profiles of important ancestors that covers migration, education, occupation, personality traits, and special relationships. Extended Family Notes can “big picture” issues for the entire family.

The PDF version of the Stories Kit has 5 types of forms, and can accept pasted text from other sources.