People often discover surprises while working on their family history. A grandfather may have remarried after losing his first wife. An uncle may have had two marriages. Sometimes old records even reveal relationships the family never talked much about.
That is one reason many genealogy users eventually need to add another husband, wife, or partner inside Family Tree Maker 2019.
At first, the process can feel a little confusing because the relationship options are not always obvious to new users. However, once you locate the settings, managing multiple marriages and family connections becomes much easier.
Why You May Need to Add Another Spouse in your Family Tree?
Family histories are rarely as neat as they appear in old charts or books. Many people in older generations remarried after widowhood, separation, or divorce. Some families also included long-term partners, adopted children, or blended households.
Because of these variations, genealogy software needs flexibility. Thankfully, Family Tree Maker 2019 allows users to connect more than one spouse or partner to the same individual without creating separate family trees.
Many users search online for ftm 19 to add a partner when trying to figure the process out for the first time.
Save a Backup Copy
Before editing relationships, it is always a beneficial idea to save a backup copy of your tree.
Even small changes can sometimes create confusion later, especially if you accidentally connect the wrong person or create duplicate entries.
A backup gives you reassurance because you can always return to an earlier version if needed.
Some users also update or reinstall the software before working on larger trees. That is usually why people search for terms like “family tree maker 2019 download.”
How to Add Another Spouse in Family Tree Maker 2019?
The process of adding another spouse is quite easy and takes only a few steps. These include the following:
Step 1: Open the profile of the person you want to edit
Open your tree in Family Tree Maker 2019 and go to the People Workspace. Now click on the person whose relationship information needs updating.
For example, maybe you discovered that:
- Your grandfather had a second marriage later in life.
- A relative divorced and remarried.
- An older family record lists another spouse you did not know about.
Once you select the correct person, you can begin adding to the new relationship.
Step 2: Open the Person Tab
After selecting the individual, click the Person tab near the top area of the screen.
This section shows details connected to that person, including:
- Spouses
- Parents
- Children
- Events
- Notes
- Facts and records
Most relationship changes happen inside this section.
Step 3: Add the New Spouse or Partner
Look for the “relationship” area and choose the option that says:
- Add Spouse
- Add Partner
- New Relationship
If the person already exists somewhere else in your tree, you can link them directly instead of creating another profile.
If they are not already in the tree, simply create a new entry for them.
This is the step many users mean when they search online for “FTM 19 add a partner”.
Step 4: Enter the Information
Now add whatever information you currently know. This may include:
- Full name
- Marriage date
- Birth details
- Divorce information
- Death records
- Notes or comments
Do not worry if some information is missing. Most family trees are completed gradually over time as new records are found.
Step 5: Save the Relationship
Once saved, the additional spouse should appear in the relationship section for that person.
Many users like to quickly check the family view afterward just to make sure everything looks correct.
Note: if an individual has more than one spouse, you will see a checkbox, “Preferred spouse,” below the status drop-down list. Select the checkbox if you want to make one spouse the preferred spouse.
Changing the Relationship Type
Not every relationship needs to be labeled as “Spouse.” They can be labeled as:
- Partner
- Former spouse
- Unknown
According to the relationship management information available for FTM 2019, relationship types can be changed later whenever needed.
To change the relationship type:
- Select the person
- Open the “Person” tab
- Click Relationships
- Select the spouse name
- Choose a different relationship type
Relationship Status in FTM 2019
Relationship type and relationship status are two different settings.
For example:
- Type = Spouse
- Status = Divorced
By default, the status is usually shown as ongoing.
However, you can change it to:
- Divorced
- Widowed
- Separated
These details help make the family history more accurate, especially in larger trees with multiple marriages.
What Is a Preferred Spouse?
This setting often confuses newer users at first. If someone has multiple spouses, Family Tree Maker 2019 upgrade lets you choose one person as the “Preferred Spouse.”
The preferred spouse usually appears first in the family views, pedigree charts, reports or printed books.
Only one spouse can be marked as preferred at a time. If the wrong husband or wife keeps appearing in reports, this setting is usually the reason.
Managing Large Trees More Easily
When a family tree becomes large, editing every relationship one by one can take a long time.
That is why Family Tree Maker 2019 includes a Manage Relationships tool.
This feature allows users to update many relationship types together instead of opening every individual profile separately.
You can easily correct relationship mistakes and change unknown to spouse, review parent-child relationships, and update multiple entries at once.
For bigger genealogy projects, this tool can save hours of work.
Parent and Child Relationship Options
Not every child in a family tree is connected biologically. Some children may be adopted, foster children or stepchildren.
Family Tree Maker 2019 allows you to specify these relationships properly so charts and reports stay accurate.
This feature becomes especially important in blended families or adoption situations.
Using Family Book Creator
Many genealogy users also work with Family Book Creator when creating printed family history books.
When relationships are entered correctly, reports are easier to follow, families appear in proper order, preferred spouses display correctly and children remain connected to the correct parents.
Before printing anything important, it helps to review spouse and parent relationships one last time.
Common Problems Users Face
Even experienced users occasionally make mistakes while editing family trees. Here are a few common problems people run into.
Creating Duplicate People
Sometimes FTM users accidentally create a second profile for someone already in the tree.
Before adding a new spouse, it helps to search the tree first.
Wrong Spouse Showing in Reports
Such an issue takes place because the preferred spouse setting is incorrect. Fortunately, the setting can be changed anytime.
Changes Not Appearing Immediately
If your tree syncs online, relationship updates may sometimes take a little time to appear everywhere. In many situations, waiting a few minutes solves the issue.
Helpful Tips for Beginners
People who are newer to genealogy software often find these habits useful:
- Make backups regularly.
- Work slowly when editing relationships.
- Double-check names before saving.
- Add notes when family situations are complicated.
- Review reports before printing.
How Family Tree Makers Support can Help You
Many users need help with installation issues, relationship mistakes, syncing problems, or restoring older tree files.
That is why people often visit Family Tree Makers Support for guidance related to adding spouses and partners, managing relationships, restoring backups, TreeVault issues, sync problems, Family Tree Maker 2019 download or setup assistance.
The professionals at Family Tree Makers Support provide support against all tese issues through chat, phone or taking remote access to your computer.
Final Thoughts
Adding another spouse in Family Tree Maker 2019 is something many family history researchers might need to do.
At first, the menus and relationship settings may seem unfamiliar, especially if you are returning to genealogy software after several years. But after working with the relationship tools a few times, the process becomes much more comfortable.
The most important thing is simply taking your time. Small, careful updates usually work better than trying to change too much at once.
As your family tree grows, keeping relationships organized properly will make charts, reports, and future research much easier for both you and your family members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add more than one spouse in Family Tree Maker 2019?
Answer: Yes, a single person can have multiple spouses or partners connected to their profile.
I added the wrong spouse by mistake. Can I correct it?
Answer: Yes, please open the Relationships section for that person and edit the incorrect connection.
What does “Preferred Spouse” mean?
Answer: It tells the software which husband or wife should appear first in family views and printed reports.
Can I use “Partner” instead of “Spouse”?
Answer: Yes, FTM 19 allows you to add a partner instead of a spouse.
Why is the wrong spouse appearing in my reports?
Answer: The wrong spouse may be displayed due to the preferred spouse setting. You can easily edit and correct it.
Is Family Tree Maker difficult for beginners?
Answer: Most users become comfortable with it after spending a little time learning where the relationship tools are located.
Should create a backup before editing relationships?
Answer: Yes, keeping backups is one of the safest habits for any genealogy project.
Disclaimer
Family Tree Maker is only available for Windows and Mac. It is not compatible with Linux.