About Rootlines

Rootlines is a free, simple way to build your family tree, keep it private, and share it as a printed page with the people who matter.

Why we built it

Most families hold their history in the memories of a few elders. When those elders are gone, names that were known for generations can disappear within a few years. We built Rootlines so that anyone can write those names down quickly, see the whole family on one page, and pass it on.

Many family tree websites ask you to create an account, upload your family's details to their servers, and pay to see more. We wanted the opposite: a tool you can open and use straight away, with nothing to sign up for and nothing leaving your device.

How Rootlines works

• No sign-up. Open the site and start adding people.
• Private by design. Your tree is saved only in your own browser. We never receive or see it.
• Easy to share. Print it on a single A4 or A3 page, save it as a PDF, or export it to Word.
• Yours to keep. Save a backup file at any time and open it again later on any device.
• Free. Rootlines is supported by advertising, so it costs you nothing.

Who we are

Rootlines is made by Madcap Media, a digital studio based in Pune, Maharashtra. It began as a tool to record one Maharashtrian family's own tree across five generations, and grew into something we wanted every family to be able to use.

Alongside the tool, we publish practical guides on tracing family roots in India, from interviewing elders to finding old land and school records.

Get in touch

We would love to hear how you are using Rootlines, and what would make it better. Visit our contact page.