Free Pedigree Chart Maker
Diagrams & FlowsDraw a genetics pedigree online with standard symbols, II-3 numbering and the proband arrow, then check the mode of inheritance. Free PNG, no signup.
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How to Use
- 1
Start from an example or a blank page
Pick Autosomal recessive, Autosomal dominant or X-linked recessive to see a finished pedigree, or Blank to begin with one person — the proband.
- 2
Add the family in clicks
Click anyone to add parents, a partner, a child or a sibling. The pedigree arranges itself into generations and numbers everyone — I-1, II-3 and so on.
- 3
Mark each person
With someone selected, mark them Unaffected, Affected or Carrier, and set sex, deceased, proband or consultand, adoption and twins. Add a genotype by typing Aa or XHXh, or tap a preset. Click a mating line to mark the partners as related.
- 4
Check the mode of inheritance
The Mode of inheritance panel shows which of five modes fit the pedigree and names the individuals who rule the others out. Keep it on the chart or switch it off.
- 5
Label it and download
Click the title, the key labels or the space under a symbol to type. Pick a theme, a carrier style and a size, then download a free PNG — what you see is exactly what downloads.
Why Choose GraphMake?
Pedigree Chart Symbols
People: a square is a male, a circle a female and a diamond someone whose sex is unknown. Shading tells you about the trait: a fully shaded symbol is affected, and a half-shaded symbol — or one with a dot in the centre — is a carrier who has one copy of a recessive allele but does not show the trait. A diagonal slash marks someone who has died.
Relationships: a horizontal line joins two parents, and a double line means they are related to each other, such as first cousins. A vertical line drops from the parents to a horizontal line holding their children, oldest on the left. Twins branch from one point, and identical twins have a bar between their lines.
Labels: Roman numerals number the generations and Arabic numerals number people within a generation, so III-2 is the second person in the third generation. The arrow with a P points to the proband, the person whose condition brought the family to attention.
How to Find the Mode of Inheritance from a Pedigree
Autosomal dominant traits appear in every generation, every affected child has an affected parent, and males and females are affected equally. Autosomal recessive traits skip generations: two unaffected carrier parents can have an affected child, and marriages between relatives make that more likely.
X-linked recessive traits affect mostly males, pass from carrier mothers to their sons, and never pass from father to son. X-linked dominant traits pass from an affected father to all of his daughters and none of his sons. Y-linked traits pass from father to every son and never appear in females.
The fastest way to answer a pedigree question is to rule modes out: find one family that breaks the rule. The Mode of inheritance panel does exactly that for every family in the chart and names the people who break each rule, so you can see the reasoning as well as the answer.
Pedigree Chart, Genogram or Family Tree?
A family tree records who descends from whom, generation after generation — use the family tree maker for genealogy. A genogram adds marriages, divorces, relationships and health conditions for social work and family therapy — use the genogram maker.
A pedigree chart is the geneticist's version: one trait, strict notation, and a question to answer about how that trait is inherited. To work out the chances for the next generation, pair it with a Punnett square from the punnett square maker.
What You Can Create
Genetics Homework
Redraw the pedigree from a textbook problem with correct numbering, then check your answer for the mode of inheritance against the panel.
Teaching Inheritance
Project the autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant and X-linked recessive examples and walk through the reasons each mode is ruled in or out.
Worksheets and Quizzes
Switch the inheritance panel off and print a clean pedigree for students to analyse.
Genetic Counselling Coursework
Standard notation with proband and consultand arrows, carriers, consanguinity and twins, ready to paste into a case write-up.
Family Health History
Trace one condition across generations of your own family to share with a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What symbols does a pedigree chart use?
The standard ones: a square for a male, a circle for a female and a diamond when the sex is unknown. An affected person is fully shaded; a carrier is half-shaded or shown with a dot in the centre — you choose the style. A slash marks someone who has died, an arrow with a P marks the proband, a double line joins related parents and brackets mark adoption. The key on the chart lists only the symbols you use.
How are people numbered in a pedigree?
Generations are numbered with Roman numerals down the left side, and people are numbered left to right within each generation, so every person has an ID like II-3. The numbers update by themselves as you add or delete people, and you can hide them with one switch.
Can it work out the mode of inheritance?
Yes. It tests autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked dominant, X-linked recessive and Y-linked inheritance against every family in the chart. Each mode that is ruled out names the people responsible and the rule behind it — for example, "II-1 and II-2 are unaffected but their child III-2 is affected." It assumes a single gene, complete penetrance and no new mutations; adopted children are not counted as genetic children, and identical twins must share the trait.
Why does it list carriers for a recessive mode?
When a recessive mode is still possible, the panel lists the people who would all have to be carriers for it to work. If that includes several people who married into the family, the mode is possible on paper but unlikely — which is exactly the reasoning a genetics question expects.
How do I add genotypes such as XHXh?
Select a person and type the genotype plainly — Aa, aa or XHXh — and the letters after an X are raised automatically. One-tap buttons offer the usual genotypes for the person's sex, and the genotype prints under the symbol.
Is the pedigree chart maker free?
Yes. Building a pedigree and downloading it as a PNG is free, with no signup and no watermark, at the exact size of the canvas: Slide 1280×720, a US Letter page or Square. A large family grows the canvas instead of shrinking the numbers. GraphMake Pro adds vector SVG and 2×, 3× and 4× HD PNG.
What is the difference between a pedigree chart and a genogram?
A pedigree follows one inherited trait through a family, using genetics notation: who is affected, who carries it, and how it passes down. A genogram records the family itself — marriages, divorces, emotional relationships and many health conditions — for social work and therapy. For that, use the /tools/genogram-maker.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Tap anyone on the chart to open the editing sheet with large buttons, and undo or redo any change. The black-and-white Textbook theme is the default, with Clinical, Color, Chalkboard and Midnight as alternatives.
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