We would love to have examples of all of the file formats listed below to help others with importing/reading genealogy files that may have been left to them. Please contact us if you have any examples of the files listed below.
Last Updated: 15 Jan 2025 (changelog)
| Name | Created or Read By: | Technical Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| .AFT | Ancestry Family Tree | AFT 9.0 |
| .AHN | Ahnenblatt | |
| .ALD | Aldfaer | Aldfaer-bestanden |
| .ALDF | Aldfaer | Aldfaer-bestanden |
| .ALX | Aldfaer | Veiligheidskopie (Backup of Aldfaer) |
| .APP | Many OSes | Typically an application file under Mac OS X/macOS |
| .ASC or ASCII | Text File | American Standard Code for Information Interchange |
| .ATD | Agelong Tree, Eureka's Family Tree Creator | |
| .ATM | Ancestor Tree Manager | |
| .BIO | Biography Maker | From FTM Developers in early 1990s |
| .DDB | AnArkiv X | Database |
| .EXE | Executable File | DOS or Windows executable files. |
| .FAMILYX | Family.Show | Open Package Convention format to store family photos, stories, data in one file. |
| .gd2, .gd3, .g3z, .gdz | GensDataPro 2 / 3 | Dutch Windows genealogy program (g3z/gdz are backup/zip files) |
| GDF | GENPlus | |
| .GE4 | WinFamily 4 | Data file |
| .GE5 | WinFamily 5 | Data file |
| .ODT | Open Document Text | Open-source standards-based text file. |
| .TT | Tiny Tafel | Tiny Tafel is a file format that is human-readable (a text file), but has a specific format handled by some genealogy applications and utilities. |
| AFT | Ancestry Family Tree | |
| AHN | Our Family Tree | |
| ANC | Our Family Tree | |
| ANSTFILE | Various | Ancestral File of the LDS Church |
| AQ | Ancestral Quest (16, ?) | |
| AQZ | Ancestral Quest (16, ?) Backup | |
| ".BA1" to ".BA9" | Familienbande ("Family Ties") | Familienbade maintains up to 10 backup revisions, starting with .BAK -> .BA9 |
| BAK | Personal Ancestral File, LDS Ancestral Quest Backup, Familienbande ("Family Ties") | Backup Files |
| CDX | The Master Genealogist (TMG) | Read by TMG. Structural Compound Index (Foxpro will generate "File does not exist" error) |
| CGF | Family Tree Creator DeluxeIMSI Family Heritage DeluxeCorel Family Tree 1.0 | CFG files maybe able to be opened by Family Tree Maker 2006 Deluxe (both companies were Broderbund, and Broderbund discontinued Family Tree Creator Deluxe). You will need to tell it to "Open" the file, and then selected "Family Tree Maker All Types". Have heard that this does not work with the IMSI Family Heritage Deluxe program. |
| CSV | Numerous Programs | CSV = Comma Separated Values, text format. GRAMPS easily reads CSV |
| DAT | Cemetery Research Database (DOS), LDS Ancestral Quest, Numerous Programs | Data Files - Cemetery Research Database (DOS) - Conversion Program for Earlier Versoins |
| DBNAME.DA1 DBNAME.DA5 DBNAME.DA4 DBNAME.NTS | Family Ties (1980s) | DOS, CP/M, Mac 512k |
| DBF | The Master Genealogist Family Origins (?) | Database File. DBF files were generated by TMG/Microsoft Foxpro, and are technically compatible with files created by dBase III and IV, but it can corrupt the memo files (FPT). Also, Family Origins 6 may generate or read these files. |
| DEF | Pro-Gen | Gramps-related |
| DOC | Numerous Programs | Sometimes it's in a rich-text format, other times it's just a plain-text file. Documentation file readable by most txt editors or word processors |
| DT5 | Brother's Keeper 5, The Master Genealogist | |
| DT6 | Brother's Keeper 6 | |
| DT7 | Brother's Keeper 7 | |
| DTA | Genius for DOS | Old Family Tree program |
| DTE | DoroTree | DoroTree Family Tree Data format |
| EDB | Roots III (TMG can read) | |
| .FAM | Family Tree in a Window | 1990s Windows 3.x genealogy app |
| FAMILY.EXE | Family Origins | Original Family Origins Executible. |
| FAMILY_T.PRG | Family Roots II (Atari ST) | |
| familyfile14 | Reunion 14 | Reunion 14 data file |
| FBC | Family Tree Maker Backup | Both DOS and some Windows versions - FTM 2006 uses .FBC as the extension for compressed backup files. |
| FBK | Family Tree Maker Backup (Windows) | Possibly Family Tree Maker in the 90s, definitely in the early 2000s - Family Tree Maker 2006 uses .FBK as a backup filename. Note: Family Tree Maker 2008 and later appears to use .FTMB as its backup, but should read FBK files. |
| FDB | Legacy Family Tree | Can be opened with Microsoft Access - database engine is the Access Database Engine (ACE/JET) |
| FILE_ID.DIZ | Text Editor | Early 1990s - Current Day. Text file inserted into file archives when they were shared across Bulletin Board Systems (BBSes) or across the internet, particularly in the area of shareware. A FILE_ID.DIZ was a plain-text description. |
| FMT | Family Roots II (Atari ST) | Example.FMT |
| FOW | Family Origins | Family Origins 6.0 (others possible) |
| FOWIN.EXE | Family Origins | Family Origins for Windows executable. |
| FPT | The Master Genealogist | Memo files. generated by TMG/ or Microsoft Foxpro, and are technically compatible with files created by dBase III and IV, but it can corrupt the memo files (FPT) |
| FT119C.EXE, FT119CPM.ARC | Family Ties | DOS Executable, CP/M archived file. |
| FTL | Family Tree Legends Family Tree Builder (imports) | FTL files begin with the ascii FTLegends for the first 9 bytes. |
| FTM | Family Tree Maker (DOS, Windows) | .FTM was used by Family Tree Maker DOS through 3.x, and then resumed with Family Tree Maker 2008 (which came out after Family Tree Maker 16) |
| FTMB | Family Tree Maker Backup | Family Tree Maker 2008, Who Do You Think You Are, etc. show this in screenshots in the manual, and used through at least FTM 2014 and Family Tree Maker 3 for Mac. |
| FTMD | Family Tree Maker for Mac Backup | Family Tree Maker 2010 and 2012 for Mac |
| FTMM | Family Tree Maker for Mac | Family Tree Maker 2010 and 2012 for Mac |
| FTW | Family Tree Maker (Windows) | FTW = Family Tree Windows, .FTW for Windows 3..x versions (FTM 2.x) through Family Tree Maker 2016 (which came out the year before Family Tree Maker 2008. |
| GCO | GenBox Family History | |
| GD3 | GreatFamily | Genealogy Data file in GreatFamily, 2002-2004, file appears to be Delphi-related. |
| GDB | GenBox Family History | |
| GDZ | GenBox Family History | Access Database Engine (ACE/JET) can be opened in Microsoft Access |
| GED / GEDCOM | Most Genealogy Programs | 1984-Current Day. Ye Olde GEDCOM file. Genealogical DCommunication. Currently version 5.5.1. Most current genealogy programs can read GEDCOM files. |
| GEDZIP | GEDCOM, All Programs | 2021-Current Day. Zipped/Archived GEDCOM 7.0 File |
| GEN | Genius Family Tree WinFamily 1.x - ? | GFT - ? WinFamily - Early 1990s |
| gendex.txt | GENDEX Services Various Programs | Lists all individuals in a GEDCOM file with birth & death details (year, location). No lineage information is included (parents, etc.). |
| .GENE | Gene (Mac) | By David and Dianna Eppstein |
| GFT | Global Software Publishing - Family Tree Suite v1 - v4 (aka GSP Family Tree) Could be Genius Family Tree | 1990s - ???? Some have claimed it can be read in a text editor fairly easy, as a last-chance solution. |
| GGAP | GedGap | Mac Genealogy Research Program |
| GIF | Image Format | |
| GNO | GenoPro (Zipped XML) | |
| GPKG | Gramps | GPKG is a tar.gz that includes the GRAMPS XML file and associated media. |
| GRAMPS | Gramps | Gramps XML Family Tree |
| GRDB | Gramps | Older version of GRAMPS Database (Gramps 2.x) |
| GRPO | Genealogy Pro | |
| GSFILE | GedSite | 2016-Current Day. GedSite Data File |
| GW | GeneWeb | |
| HMW | Heredis 2020 World, ? | |
| HMWIT | Heredis 2022? | |
| HMWZ | Heredis 2022 ? | |
| HTML | Websites | 1993-Current Day. Hypertext Markup Language This is a plain-text format that tells your web browser what to display when you are visiting a website. People have saved genealogy information in HTML files before. |
| indiv2.dat | Personal Ancestral File 2.x (PAF) | |
| ISO | Numerous Programs | 1990s-Current Day. It is an exact duplicate, archive, or backup file of a CD or DVD image based on the ISO-9660 standard. |
| JPG | Image Format | |
| K01, .K02, .K03, etc. | Cemetery Research Database (DOS) | Key files - Cemetery Research Database (DOS) - Conversion Program for Earlier Versoins |
| LL | LifeLines | LifeLines report language |
| LST | Ancestral Quest Notepad or Data Exchange Utility (FTM DOS) | FTM (DOS) = Warnings and errors saved when importing data/GEDCOMs from other programs. |
| marr2.dat | Personal Ancestral File 2.x (PAF) | |
| MBOX | Mail box file | Email (or Usenet) mailbox saved in a single text file, messages are in contented format. |
| MDB | Microsoft Access (maybe) | Database file |
| MDE | Microsoft Access | |
| MEM | Cemetery Research Database (DOS) | Memo Files - Cemetery Research Database (DOS) - Conversion Program for Earlier Versoins |
| MEM | The Master Genealogist | Microsoft Foxpro |
| MFTPKG | MacFamilyTree ? - 9, 10 | Possibly SQLite |
| namadd2.dat | Personal Ancestral File 2.x (PAF) | |
| name2.dat | Personal Ancestral File 2.x (PAF) | |
| NAMES2.DAT | ? | |
| NAMES.DA1 NAMES.NTS | Family Ties (DOS) | |
| notes2.dat | Personal Ancestral File 2.x (PAF) | |
| NPS | Various | for Temple submission to the LDS Church |
| ODT, PDF, RTF, HTML, TXT, XML, GPKG | GRAMPS | 2001-Current Day |
| PAF | Personal Ancestral File 2.x Personal Ancestral File 3.x Personal Ancestral File 4.x | PAF = Personal Ancestral File Database that contains links to files stored in other locations (such as photos). It can be opened without these files, and they can also be imported by some software. Heritage Family Tree, Family Trees Q&E, Ancestral Quest 16 (and earlier) |
| PAGES | Apple Pages | 2000s-Current Day |
| PDB | MyRoots (Palm) | Event Type Database |
| PED | Pedigree, PediView, PediTree, QTDT, GeneaQuilt | 1987 ? - Present Data File, Used in multiple programs, since Pedigree = .PED is an easy association. |
| PJC | The Master Genealogist (6, ?) | TMG |
| PLIST | Various - Apple Mac File | Information Property List - contains attributes for the main file (settings, etc.) |
| PNG | Image Format | |
| PQA | Palm Pilot PDAs | Palm Query Application (Database) |
| PRC | MyRoots, Other Palm Apps | Palm OS Applications |
| PRF | Created from GEDCOM files | PRF = Pedigree Resource File - a collection of user-created/submitted genealogies to FamilySearch Family Tree. More information here. |
| PRO | Roots III, IV, or V, Visual Roots, Family Gathering, or Ultimate Family Tree, or The Master Genealogist | |
| RB1 | Generations or Reunion | |
| RCX | Generations or Reunion | |
| REL | Relatives 1.0 or newer | 2008-Current |
| RM8 | RootsMagic 8 | 2020-Current Day. RootsMagic 8 (Beta) File |
| RMB8 | RootsMagic 8 | 2020-Current Day. RootsMagic 8 (Beta) Backup |
| RMBACKUP | RootsMagic 8 | 2020-Current Day. RootsMagic 8 (Final) Backup File |
| RMC | RootsMagic | RootsMagic Chart (Charting) |
| RMG | RootsMagic | |
| RMGC | RootsMagic | |
| RMTREE | RootsMagic 8 | 2020-Current Day. RootsMagic 8 (Final) Data File |
| ROOTS | Roots II or III | |
| ROOTS.BDF | CHARTS/Roots III | 1990s DOS Programs |
| RP1 | Generations Family Tree 4.x | 1990s - ???? |
| RTX | Generations or Reunion | |
| SDF | Second Site | HTML generator for The Master Genealogist |
| SEP | Sesame (Project) | Research program from COMMSOFT, 1980s? - at least 1991, Windows 3.x and Apple Macintosh |
| SES | Sesame | Research program from COMMSOFT, 1980s? - at least 1991, Windows 3.x and Apple Macintosh |
| SQLITE | Numerous Programs | Database file stored in SQLite 3 format. GRAMPS can or does use this. SQLiteBrowser will read this - Windows, Mac, Linux support. |
| ScionPC.ini | ScionPC | .INI configuration file used by ScionPC |
| .SGX | ScionPC | These are created by ScionPC, but are actually XML text-readable files. |
| SQZ | Roots III, IV, or V, Visual Roots, Family Gathering, or Ultimate Family Tree, or The Master Genealogist | |
| STB | Familienbande ("Family Ties") | Data files |
| .SVB | GensDataPro | Dutch Windows genealogy program, this is for batch/mergers. |
| TEX (LaTeX) | LaTeX source file GRAMPS | LaTeX source file - text-readable file that can be compiled into a PDF file. Generated by certain GRAMPS reports (you can choose alternative formats for output). |
| TEXT, TXT | Text File | 1970s(?)-Current Day. Can be read by the text editor included with most operating systems. |
| TMG | The Master Genealogist (6, ?) | Version control file for TMG 2.0 and later. ASCII text. |
| TVDB | TreeView | TreeView Database |
| UDS | Generations Family Tree (4.2 and later) | Can be read by Reunion for Mac (1990s and 2000s) |
| VCard | Numerous Programs | File format for electronic business/contact cards. GRAMPS maybe able to read this. |
| VCF | Card | See VCard |
| VER | The Master Genealogist | Version control file for TMG 1.2a and earlier. ASCII text (TMG 1.2a and earlier) |
| webarchive | Created by Safari web browser on macOS or Windows. | 2000s-Current Day. It's an archive of an entire web page - HTML, CSS, Javascript, etc. Maybe ready by Microsoft Word. Or Web Archive Extractor |
| WFT | Web Family Tree | GRAMPS. All contents for a website version of GRAMPS data in a single file. |
| wpd, .wp, .wp4, .wp5, .wp6, .wp7 | WordPerfect | Word Processing Application. WordPerfect, some versions of Microsoft Word. |
| XLS | Microsoft Excel | 1990s-Current Day |
| XML | Numerous Programs | XML = Extensible Markup Language, text format. GRAMPS can read this. |
| ZIP | Numerous Programs | PAF Backups are in ZIP Ancestral Quest may use ZIP files. |
Changelog
- 15 January 2025
- Added SDF (Second Site)
- 12 January 2025
- Added GDF (GENPlus)
- 13 December 2024
- Added file names for GensDataPro 3 and previous versions
- .gd2, .gd3, .g3z, .gdz (g3z/gdz are backup/zip files)
- .svb – GensData Batch (allows for merger of files)
- 2 Dec 2024
- Updated .uds – Reunion for Mac could open it (late 90s/early 2000s)
- 3 Nov 2024
- Added .ATM for Ancestor Tree Manager
- Added various Family Tree Maker formats
- 21 Oct 2024
- Added .AHN for Ahnenblatt.
- 6 Oct 2024
- Updated .CGF file – not just Family Tree Creator Deluxe, but also IMSI Family Heritage Deluxe and Corel Family Tree 1.0
- 28 Sep 2024
- Added .gw – GeneWeb
- Added .gramps – Gramps XML Family Tree
- Added .def – Pro-Gen – see Gramps
- Added vCard – Gramps
- 26 Sep 2024
- Added .ddb – AnArkiv X database
- Added .ses – Sesame (COMMSOFT, late 1980s/early 1990s)
- Added .sep – Sesame Project file (COMMSOFT, late 1980s/early 1990s)
- 24 Sep 2024
- Added .rel – Relatives/Relatives LIGHT