How do I add living relatives to a person in Family Tree?

Article Id: 1731
January 23, 2025
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Adding living generations connects you to your deceased ancestors. For example, adding your living parents allows you to connect back to your deceased grandparents.

Before you start

As you enter information about living relatives, please follow these guidelines:

  • Do not enter any information about living individuals without their permission.
  • Do not include any information that could be considered sensitive. To assist you with this effort, we also have disabled certain fields that could potentially be considered sensitive. These are discussions, national identification, race, caste name, clan name, tribe, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, and religious affiliation.

For more information, please also review the FamilySearch submission agreement.

Where to add living relatives

We recommend the following:

  • Private tree (FamilySearch Tree). If you maintain a private tree, add enough of your living family so that you can connect to your deceased ancestors. Only you can see the living relatives in your private tree.
  • Family group tree. If you want to add information about more of your living family members, we recommend doing it in a family group tree. There, you can create a family group to share the information and foster collaboration and connection between your family members.

Required information

To add a new person, you must enter at least a first or last name, indicate the sex of the person, and check deceased or living.

Steps (website)

  1. While signed in to FamilySearch.org, click Family Tree, and then click Tree.
  2. If needed, use the drop-down switch in the upper-right to select the tree view that you want to use. Then continue below with the steps in the section corresponding to your tree view.
    • Family group trees cannot currently be displayed using the First Ancestor view, the Descendancy view, or the Fan Chart view.

Landscape, Fan Chart, and Descendancy Views

  1. Click the name of an immediate family member.
  2. In the details that pop up, click the person's name again.
  3. Click the Details tab.
  4. Scroll to the Family Members section.
  5. Click the appropriate link (Add Spouse, Add Child, or Add Parent).      
  6. Use the appropriate tab to add the person:
    • By Name. Enter the details, click Living, then click Next. Verify the information and click Create person.
    • From FamilySearch Tree. Click this tab to copy someone from your private tree to a family group tree. Then click the person's name. (This option is available when adding someone to a family group tree.)
    • By ID Number. If you know the person's ID number, and if the person is in your private tree or a family group tree that you are part of, click this tab, enter the ID number, and click Next.

Portrait View

  1. Use the arrows to expand the tree to show the person whose family member you want to add.
  2. Open the appropriate add option:
    • Parents. Click the ^ icon above the person's tile. Then click Add Father or Add Mother.
    • Child, spouse, or sibling. Click the + that is on the person's picture and select the appropriate option. (To add a sibling, the person must be linked to a parent first.)
  3. Click the appropriate tab to add the person:
    • By Name. Enter the details, click Living, then click Next. Verify the information and click Create person.
    • From FamilySearch Tree. Click this tab to copy someone from your private tree to a family group tree. Then click the person's name. (This option is available when adding someone to a family group tree.)
    • By ID Number. If you know the person's ID number, and if the person is in your private tree or a family group tree that you are part of, click this tab, enter the ID number, and click Next.

First Ancestor View

  1. Find the person with living family members you want to add.
  2. Above the person's picture, click the + icon:
    • To add a child, click Add Child.
    • To add a spouse, click Add Spouse.
    • To add a parent, click Add Parent.
    1. Click the appropriate tab to add the person:
      • By Name. Enter the details, click Living, then click Next. Verify the information and click Create person.
      • By ID Number. If you know the person's ID number, and if the person is in your private tree or a family group tree that you are part of, click this tab, enter the ID number, and click Next.

Steps (mobile app)

  1. Open In the Family Tree mobile app.
  2. If needed, switch to the tree where you want to add the person.
  3. Navigate to the Person page of a family member of the living individual.
  4. Tap the appropriate tab (Spouses for spouses and children or Parents for parents and siblings).
  5. Tap the appropriate link (Add Child, Add Spouse, Add Parent, or Add Sibling).
  6. Enter information about the individual, and then tap Continue.
  7. Indicate that the person is Living.
  8. Enter any birth information, and then tap Continue.
  9. Tap Add or Add This Person.

Steps (Family Tree Lite)

  1. In Family Tree Lite, navigate to the person page of a family member of the living individual.
  2. Click View Family.
  3. Click the appropriate link (Add Spouse, Add Child, Add Parent, or Add Sibling). 
  4. Enter information about the individual. Indicate that he or she is living.
  5. Click Next. 

FamilySearch Privacy Notice
Can I add memories about my living relatives to Family Tree?
How does Family Tree protect the privacy of living people?
Who can see my living relatives in Family Tree?
How do I change the status from deceased to living in Family Tree?
How do I merge possible duplicates in Family Tree?

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