Ahnenblatt
Windows family tree program developed by Dirk Böttcher in Hamburg
Summary table
| Company | Dirk Böttcher (individual) |
|---|---|
| Category | Genealogy Software |
| Headquarters | Hamburg, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | Local files on your computer or USB stick |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Desktop software with local files |
| Main Features | Ancestor, descendant and hourglass charts, lists, GEDCOM and GEDCOM 7, plausibility checks, autocomplete, Unicode (including Cyrillic), export to several formats, posters, portable USB version, unlimited persons |
| Pricing | Licence key bought separately; price not shown on the pages we read. Demo is limited (about 50 persons for editing); version 2.99 is stated to be free and unrestricted. |
| Best For | Windows users who want a simple German-made tree program that can run from a USB stick |
| Replaces | Ancestry (family tree editing) |
Our review
Ahnenblatt is a genealogy program for Windows. The imprint names Dirk Böttcher, Am Gehegegraben 28, 21147 Hamburg, as the operator of the website, with a German VAT number. Ahnenblatt 5 became available on 2 October 2026, and version 5.02 followed on 27 October 2026.
The site states that Ahnenblatt permits an unlimited number of persons, marriages and partners. It runs without installation from a USB stick.
What does Ahnenblatt offer?
Ahnenblatt creates ancestor, descendant and hourglass charts and family lists, and it can output charts as PDF posters. It checks inputs for logic, for example a marriage after death.
Ahnenblatt works with Unicode, so Cyrillic and other special characters survive import and export. It loads and saves GEDCOM, and GEDCOM 7 has its own page on the site.
How is Ahnenblatt licensed?
The download page offers a demo that can be turned into the full version with a licence key. Licences for versions 3 and 4 do not apply to version 5.
The download page also points to version 2.99 as a free and unrestricted version. A graphics package is sold separately as an extension.
Where is Ahnenblatt weaker than Ancestry?
Ahnenblatt is a single-developer project, so support relies on one person by email. The imprint says the private phone line gives no software support.
There is no hosted tree, no record collection and no DNA test. The website carries Facebook and YouTube items from US-linked providers named in its privacy text.
Where it falls short
Ahnenblatt is Windows-only, has no hosted tree or records, and the licence price is not shown on the pages we read. As a one-person project it carries continuity risk. A group-run free alternative is Ancestris.
Who Ahnenblatt fits
Hobby researchers on Windows who want a lightweight program and need the tree on a USB stick.
What works, what does not
Pros
- No limit on persons in the full version
- Portable USB version
- GEDCOM 7 information page
- Unicode for non-Latin names
- Active releases (5.02 on 27 October 2026)
Cons
- Licence price not shown
- Windows only
- One-person project
- Demo limits editing size
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No limit on persons in the full version
- Portable USB version
- GEDCOM 7 information page
- Unicode for non-Latin names
- Active releases (5.02 on 27 October 2026)
Cons
- Licence price not shown
- Windows only
- One-person project
- Demo limits editing size
Alternatives to Ahnenblatt
Alternatives from Europe in the genealogy software group:
See all European genealogy software or compare them directly against Ancestry (family tree editing) on our alternatives page.
Questions buyers ask
The Ahnenblatt imprint names Dirk Böttcher, Am Gehegegraben 28, 21147 Hamburg, Germany.
Ahnenblatt offers portable ZIP and PortableApps versions that start without installation and do not change settings on the PC.
The download is a demo that a licence key turns into the full version. The site also points to the older version 2.99 as free and unrestricted.