Map out your ancestry with the best family tree software around

August 5, 2019

By Kim Komando

Looking for a simple, free way to arrange your family tree without having to rely on websites like Ancestry.com?

Need a way to ensure it’s perfectly searchable, reliable, and useable even if you’re not connected to the internet?

We’ve got the simplest answer for you. This free download is a great alternative to costly subscription sites that come saddled with confusing setups and features you don’t want or need.

Free family tree software to map out your ancestry

It’s called Legacy Family Tree and comes in two different versions: Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition.

The Standard Edition is free and includes a to-do list and research log, free tips and support, birthday and anniversary reminders, and a variety of other features to get you started. There are a few deluxe versions that you’d have to pay for with costs starting at $14.95.

Both are simple, straightforward programs that are invaluable when it comes to building out your family tree, and function similarly to that of a Microsoft Office program. They also mainly consist of text prompts that give clear instructions on what to do next.

If you prefer to further customize your fledgling family tree, you can spring for the Deluxe Edition. This adds a wealth of features, including the ability to search databases of over 3 million places, a relationship calculator, historical timelines from around the world, and more.

There’s really no limits to what you can do if you’re creative, and the software is flexible enough to allow you to tweak it according to your specific needs as well.

You can enter a near-limitless amount of people into Legacy, with each family getting space for up to 60 children apiece. Beyond that, you can sprinkle in unlimited parents, spouses, events, sources, and pictures where appropriate.

When you have everything entered, you can run reports, search for how individuals are related to you, search through a wide variety of information to find the family details you need, bookmark your place, and most importantly – keep all of your family tree history safe and in one place.

You could pay for all of this to be kept online in the cloud, sure, but Legacy Family Tree is a cheap, simple, and effective option that lets you store all your information locally and in an easy-to-search format.

 

Related: You must delete your personal information from this scary site now!

 

It may take some getting used to upfront, as it can be a bit complicated, but in the end, you’ll be glad you opted for a more traditional method of storing things than just relying on a website that could shut down at any time.

Legacy Family Tree is only available for Windows PC users (sorry, Mac faithful!) but it’s well worth borrowing a Windows computer for a bit if you’re looking to make the definitive record of your family and the mark they’ve left on this life.

To download, simply head over to the official Legacy Family Tree website and select the version you’d like to download: Standard or Deluxe.

As soon as you’ve sorted that, you can start working toward truly understanding your heritage. It may take a while to put together, but when you finally get it together, it will definitely have been worth it.