How to build a private family tree together

A shared family tree starts with a few names and relationships, not a complete history. In Banyan, create a private tree, add the people you know, and invite relatives to help fill in their own branches.

Start with your close family

Add yourself, your parents, siblings and grandparents if you know them. Connect each person through the relationship you can confirm. A familiar nickname or photo can help relatives recognize a profile, but you do not need every birthday or detail to begin.

Leave uncertain dates blank. Ask a relative before adding a relationship you are unsure about. Banyan records the family information you supply; it does not verify ancestry or find historical records for you.

Invite the relatives who know another branch

Share the tree's invitation link or QR code directly with the people you want to join. They sign in and can claim an existing profile or add themselves. Ask everyone to look for a person's existing profile before creating a new one.

Choose a manageable first group: a sibling who knows the cousins, an aunt who remembers the older generation, and someone who has the family photographs. Their existing roles determine what they can change.

Keep access within the family

Your Banyan tree is visible to its members, not a public genealogy directory. Treat an invitation link as something to share deliberately. If it reaches the wrong person, a tree elder can remove unwanted access and rotate the invite code.

Ask permission before adding someone else's photo or personal details. A private space still needs care about what relatives share with one another.

Give everyone a small contribution

At a reunion, ask each person for one correction, one missing name, or one photograph. Search for the relative and add the detail to the right profile. Small, checked contributions are easier to maintain than a large import of uncertain information.

As the tree grows, use Close family, a branch, or the full tree to explore the relationships. Return after birthdays and gatherings to add what the family has learned.

Start free, then choose space for your family

Starter gives you one free tree with room for a small family. If you need more space, one person can sponsor that tree; invited relatives do not need individual subscriptions. See the current plan limits and prices before choosing.