Showing adoption on family tree software

[Eric Hatfield]

Hi everyone,

It seems that one of my grandparents on my mother's side was adopted, and quite possibly both of them. It seems right that I include at least the adopting parents in the tree - not sure if I should follow them back further or not.


But how to show this on standard family tree computer software, for example, on Ancestry's site? I can show the adoption as an event, but I cannot show the adopting parents on the tree unless I omit the birth parents (if I know them - so far 1 out of 4 is all I have!) and show the adopting parents as if they were the birth parents, which could be misleading. I could make two separate trees I suppose, but I'd like to show both parents on one tree I think.


Does anyone know how adoption is usually handled and any software which copes with it please?

Thanks

[Elaine ..Spain]

It is certainly possible using Family Tree Maker -

http://ftm.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ftm.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3094&p_created=1190317028&p_sid=C6GAuvIk&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=4222&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MywzJnBfcHJvZHM9MCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfbmwmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1hZG9wdGlvbg!!&p_li=&p_topview=1

[Rusty]

I am fairly certain that Family Historian would be able to do this, I haven't got any adoptees in my family (so far?) so I can't be sure but FH diagrams are very comprehensive. I see that you are in Australia, there is a new programme out called GenP which seems quite comprehensive which might be worth while investigating (Google GenP Family History).

Margaret

[Caroline]

Family Historian does let you do it.

I was going to give you an example, but it has decided not to let me do diagrams today on the laptop. (I think perhaps BT McAfee has clobbered it again)

[PhotoFamily]

Ancestry's display is odd, but it does allow you to specify more than one parent/parent role. From the ancestor's profile, choose "Edit this person" - it's in the same box as the name. In the next screen, there are tab -> choose "relationships".

From the next screen, you can change the type of relationship for the displayed parent, or add an alternative parent, and change that relationship.

This allows you to specify these relationships, but the display on the profile isn't really satisfactory to me.

BTW - I find this screen easier to use if I'm adding many family members to an individual