If your family tree includes relatives from different countries, you may need to work with more than one language. Names may contain accents or special characters, old records may be written in another language, and you may want to share your family history with relatives who do not speak English.
So, does Family Tree Maker support multiple languages?
Yes, but there is a difference between supporting multilingual family information and offering a fully translated software interface. Family Tree Maker can handle foreign characters and information from different languages. However, it does not automatically translate everything in your tree or turn every menu and feature into another language.
Can You Enter Foreign Names in Family Tree Maker?
Yes, this option is the most useful language feature for most genealogists. Family names are not always written using the English alphabet. You may come across names containing characters such as é, ñ, ö, ü, ø, or å. Family Tree Maker allows you to use foreign and non-ASCII characters in your family tree.
That means you can keep an ancestor’s name in its original form instead of changing it just because you are working on an English-language computer.
This is important when you are researching old records. The spelling in a birth record, marriage record, church register, or immigration document may be different from the English version of the name.
Keeping the original spelling gives you something useful to compare when you find another record later.
Can One Family Tree Contain Different Languages?
You don’t need to create a separate tree simply because some of your relatives came from another country.
For example, one tree might contain the following:
- A French surname with accents
- A German birthplace
- An Italian family record
- Spanish notes
- English research notes
All of that can be added to the same family tree, which is very important; otherwise, the tree would lose its relevance.
In fact, keeping the original information is often the better approach. If a person’s name appears in a historical record with a particular spelling, you may want to keep that spelling in your tree.
You can add an alternative spelling or an explanation separately when necessary.
Does Family Tree Maker Translate Your Information?
No, this is where expectations can get a little confusing. Family Tree Maker is genealogy software, not a translation program.
If you enter a note in French, for example, Family Tree Maker will not automatically turn that note into English. The same applies to descriptions, personal notes, and information copied from historical records.
That may sound like a limitation, but it can actually be helpful.
Genealogy is about preserving evidence. You may want to keep the original wording of a document instead of replacing it with an automatic translation that could contain mistakes.
If you need a translation, you can add your own translation while keeping the original text.
What About the Family Tree Maker Interface?
There is another question hidden in “Does Family Tree Maker support multiple languages?” You may actually be asking whether you can change the software itself into another language.
That’s different from entering multilingual information.
The fact that Family Tree Maker can display foreign characters does not mean that every menu, button, setting, and help screen is available in every language.
Keep in mind that regardless of whether you use Family Tree Maker 2019 software or FTM 2024 software, the software interface, including menus, buttons, and help files, is only available in English.”
What About Family Tree Maker 2024 Software?
The Family Tree Maker 2024 software is the current major version and includes several improvements over earlier editions. It offers updated tools for managing trees, working with photographs, collaborating with family members, and organizing genealogy information. It also continues to work with Ancestry.
But don’t upgrade to FTM 2024 expecting it to automatically translate your family tree.
The important language-related benefit is that you can continue working with family information that contains foreign names, places, characters, and notes.
If you already use an older version and multilingual information is your only concern, you may not need to upgrade just for that.
If you are interested in the newer features as well, then FTM 2024 is a different consideration.
Can I Still Use Family Tree Maker 2019?
Yes, many genealogists still use Family Tree Maker 2019 software, which is why they continue to look for a Family Tree Maker 2019 download.
If you already have FTM 2019, having ancestors from different countries does not automatically mean you need a newer version. The older software can also work with foreign characters.
If you need to reinstall FTM 2019, however, be careful about where you get the installer. Your family tree may contain years of research, photographs, sources, and other information that you don’t want to put at risk by downloading software from an unknown website.
And before reinstalling or upgrading, make a backup of your tree.
It’s a small step that can save a lot of frustration.
Can You Create a Family History Book in Another Language?
You have spent years building your tree and now want to turn it into a family history book for relatives in another country.
Family Tree Maker has tools for creating charts and reports, but there is also a separate program called Family Tree Book Creator. It works with Family Tree Maker and can be used to create more detailed family-history books from your genealogy data.
This can be useful if, for example, your family is spread across the United States, Germany, France, or other countries and you want to create something that is easier for everyone to read.
The important thing to remember is that Family Book Creator is a separate product. It is not simply another language setting inside Family Tree Maker.
Does a Family Book Creator Automatically Translate a Family Tree?
When you choose another output language in Family Book Creator, the program generates the labels and text in that language. But information that you personally entered, such as your notes, descriptions, and other custom text, is not translated automatically.
For example, imagine that you have written a long family story in English. Choosing German for the book doesn’t mean that your entire story will suddenly be rewritten in German.
You would still need to translate your own text if you want relatives to read that section in another language.
That’s actually a good thing for serious family history work. You remain in control of what gets translated rather than relying on automatic translation for information that may be historically important.
What Does “Family Tree Book Creator” Mean?
If you have searched for a tool to create family tree books, you may have come across both Family Tree Maker and Family Book Creator.
Family Tree Maker is the genealogy program where you build and manage your family tree. Family Book Creator is a separate tool that can take information from your genealogy database and turn it into a more complete family-history book.
So, if your goal is to maintain your family tree, you may not need anything else.
If your goal is to create a book that includes family information, photographs, charts, indexes, and other details, a dedicated book-creation tool may be worth looking at.
A Few Tips for Managing a Multilingual Family Tree
Working with several languages isn’t particularly difficult, but a few habits can make your tree much easier to manage.
Keep Original Names
If a historical record spells someone’s name in a particular way, don’t change it just to make it look more familiar in English.
Use Special Characters
Keep accents and other characters where they belong. They can make a difference when you are comparing your tree with historical records.
Keep the Original Documents
If you have a document written in another language, keep the original copy. You can add a translation or explanation separately.
Don’t Replace Original Information With a Translation
If a translation is useful, add it alongside the original information. That way, you still have the source wording if you need to check it later.
Back Up Your Tree
Make a backup before installing a new version, such as Family Tree Maker 2024 software, or making major changes to your genealogy software.
Does Family Tree Maker Support Multiple Languages?
Family Tree Maker can handle foreign characters and multilingual family information. You can have names, places, notes, and records from different countries in the same family tree.
What it doesn’t do is automatically translate your entire family tree or provide a completely translated interface in every possible language.
If you are researching a family with roots in several countries, that doesn’t stop you from using Family Tree Maker. In fact, keeping original names and information can make your research more accurate.
And if your next step is to turn that research into a family-history book for relatives who speak another language, tools such as family tree book creators can give you additional options. The main thing is to preserve the original family information first and translate it only when you need to. That keeps your family history accurate while making it easier to share with everyone in the family.
For any queries related to FTM, you can contact Family Tree Makers Support, where professionals are dedicated to providing all kinds of information.
Disclaimer:
Family Tree Maker is available for Windows and macOS only. It does not support Linux-based operating systems.