Gramps 5.2.2
Gramps Web API 2.4.0
Gramps Web Frontend 24.7.1
Gramps QL 0.3.0
locale: en
multi-tree: false
task queue: true
Is there a way in Grampsweb to change the genealogical symbols? Thanks.
1 Like
Hi,
Not right now. Feel free to create a feature request.
Thanks. Created a feature request.
Do you know if there is a configuration file behind the scenes that could be changed on the server to change the symbols?
2 Likes
Good afternoon! There may be people of different religions in the same tree. The symbol next to the date of death should change according to the person’s faith. At what stage is this problem working, is there a link to the request?
It’s in the post above.
Local solution: Replacing Birth/Death symbols with neutral alternatives
Hello Gramps Web community!
I wanted to share a local modification made to Gramps Web that others with similar needs might find interesting or useful.
While working on my family tree, I found that the default symbols in Gramps Web (
for death, * for birth) does not match our pedigree.
The real challenge: mixed heritage families
Here’s the practical problem many of us face: in a single family tree, we often have ancestors of different faiths and cultures.
To implement religion-specific symbols properly, we would need to:
- Add a “religion/faith” field for every person
- Create a mapping system: religion → symbol
- Handle cases of changed beliefs during a lifetime
- Decide what to show for agnostics/atheists
- Account for interfaith marriages and children
- …
My solution bypasses this complexity entirely by using universally neutral symbols.
I replaced the symbols with maximally neutral, logical choices for the digital age:
/ = birth (the opening “bracket” of life)
\ = death (the closing “bracket” of life)
Example:
BEFORE: John Doe * 1900 †1980
AFTER: John Doe / 1900 \ 1980
Why these symbols work well
- Culturally & Religiously neutral – no associations with any faith or tradition
- Universally recognizable – ASCII characters work everywhere, in all fonts and systems
- Logically Meaningful –
/= start/entry,\= end/exit - Simple & Clear – Intuitive without explanation
- Solves the mixed-family dilemma – one respectful symbol works for everyone, regardless of their beliefs
Questions for the Community
- Has anyone else faced similar issues? Do the default symbols ever feel inappropriate for your ancestors?
- Would anyone be interested in this as an optional setting? Or is this solving a problem most people don’t have?
- How do you handle mixed-heritage trees where ancestors had different beliefs?
I’d be curious to hear others’ perspectives.
The changes are minimal (just a few files). For now, this works perfectly for my needs. Here’s how it looks in the interface:
Why use symbols at all “b” and “d” meet all your requirements without
introducing more symbols.
phil
1 Like