diff --git a/frontend/app/globals.css b/frontend/app/globals.css
index 55e685a..dfbe818 100644
--- a/frontend/app/globals.css
+++ b/frontend/app/globals.css
@@ -54,3 +54,55 @@ h3,
 ::selection {
   background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-bronze) 22%, transparent);
 }
+
+/* Pedigree bracket connectors (ancestors grow rightward). Each leaf draws its
+   own half of the vertical spine + a horizontal stub, so lines stay correct
+   regardless of box heights: focus → 2 parents, each parent → 2 grandparents. */
+.ped-person {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+}
+.ped-self {
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+.ped-branch {
+  position: relative;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  margin-left: 2.5rem;
+}
+.ped-branch::before {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  left: -2.5rem;
+  top: 50%;
+  width: 2.5rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+}
+.ped-leaf {
+  position: relative;
+  padding-left: 1.5rem;
+}
+.ped-leaf::before {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 0;
+  top: 50%;
+  width: 1.5rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+}
+.ped-leaf::after {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 0;
+  top: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  border-left: 1px solid var(--border);
+}
+.ped-leaf:first-child::after {
+  top: 50%;
+}
+.ped-leaf:last-child::after {
+  bottom: 50%;
+}
diff --git a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
index 32a4ad6..e533e59 100644
--- a/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/trees/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
   const [search, setSearch] = useState("");
   const [firstName, setFirstName] = useState("");
   // Inline add-relative form: which anchor + kind is open, and the typed name.
-  const [adding, setAdding] = useState<{ kind: AddKind; anchor: string } | null>(null);
+  // `key` keeps each empty slot's inline form independent (a person has 2
+  // parents, 4 grandparents — many same-kind/anchor slots can coexist).
+  const [adding, setAdding] = useState<{ key: string; kind: AddKind; anchor: string } | null>(null);
   const [addName, setAddName] = useState("");
 
   const load = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -179,8 +181,18 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
     );
   };
 
-  const AddSlot = ({ kind, anchor, label }: { kind: AddKind; anchor: string; label: string }) =>
-    adding && adding.kind === kind && adding.anchor === anchor ? (
+  const AddSlot = ({
+    formKey,
+    kind,
+    anchor,
+    label,
+  }: {
+    formKey: string;
+    kind: AddKind;
+    anchor: string;
+    label: string;
+  }) =>
+    adding?.key === formKey ? (
       <form onSubmit={submitAdd} className="flex w-44 flex-col gap-1">
         <Input
           autoFocus
@@ -205,7 +217,7 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
     ) : (
       <button
         onClick={() => {
-          setAdding({ kind, anchor });
+          setAdding({ key: formKey, kind, anchor });
           setAddName("");
         }}
         className="w-44 rounded-lg border border-dashed border-[var(--border)] px-3 py-2 text-left text-sm text-[var(--muted)] hover:border-bronze hover:text-bronze"
@@ -214,7 +226,39 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
       </button>
     );
 
-  const parents = parentsOf(focus.id);
+  // Recursive ancestor chart (grows rightward): a node is its box plus a
+  // two-leaf "branch" of its parents, with CSS bracket connectors. Depth 0 =
+  // focus, capped at grandparents (depth 2).
+  const renderNode = (
+    slotPersonId: string | null,
+    childId: string,
+    keyPrefix: string,
+    depth: number,
+  ): React.ReactNode => {
+    const box = slotPersonId ? (
+      <PersonBox id={slotPersonId} muted={depth > 0} />
+    ) : (
+      <AddSlot formKey={keyPrefix} kind="parent" anchor={childId} label="add parent" />
+    );
+    if (!slotPersonId || depth >= 2) {
+      return <div className="ped-person">{box}</div>;
+    }
+    const ps = parentsOf(slotPersonId);
+    return (
+      <div className="ped-person">
+        <div className="ped-self">{box}</div>
+        <div className="ped-branch">
+          <div className="ped-leaf">
+            {renderNode(ps[0] ?? null, slotPersonId, `${keyPrefix}-a`, depth + 1)}
+          </div>
+          <div className="ped-leaf">
+            {renderNode(ps[1] ?? null, slotPersonId, `${keyPrefix}-b`, depth + 1)}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  };
+
   const partners = partnersOf(focus.id);
   const children = childrenOf(focus.id);
 
@@ -237,46 +281,10 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
         </Link>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Pedigree: focus → parents → grandparents */}
+      {/* Pedigree: focus → parents → grandparents, with bracket connectors */}
       <Card>
         <CardContent className="overflow-x-auto p-6">
-          <div className="flex min-w-[40rem] items-stretch gap-8">
-            <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-3">
-              <div className="mb-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-[var(--muted)]">
-                Focus
-              </div>
-              <PersonBox id={focus.id} />
-            </div>
-
-            <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-4">
-              <div className="mb-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-[var(--muted)]">
-                Parents
-              </div>
-              {parents.map((pid) => (
-                <PersonBox key={pid} id={pid} muted />
-              ))}
-              {parents.length < 2 && <AddSlot kind="parent" anchor={focus.id} label="add parent" />}
-            </div>
-
-            <div className="flex flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-4">
-              <div className="mb-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-[var(--muted)]">
-                Grandparents
-              </div>
-              {parents.length === 0 && (
-                <div className="text-sm text-[var(--muted)]">Add parents first.</div>
-              )}
-              {parents.map((pid) => (
-                <div key={pid} className="flex flex-col gap-2">
-                  {parentsOf(pid).map((gp) => (
-                    <PersonBox key={gp} id={gp} muted />
-                  ))}
-                  {parentsOf(pid).length < 2 && (
-                    <AddSlot kind="parent" anchor={pid} label="add parent" />
-                  )}
-                </div>
-              ))}
-            </div>
-          </div>
+          <div className="min-w-[44rem]">{renderNode(focus.id, focus.id, "ped", 0)}</div>
         </CardContent>
       </Card>
 
@@ -289,7 +297,12 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
               {partners.map((id) => (
                 <PersonBox key={id} id={id} muted />
               ))}
-              <AddSlot kind="partner" anchor={focus.id} label="add spouse" />
+              <AddSlot
+                formKey={`partner-${focus.id}`}
+                kind="partner"
+                anchor={focus.id}
+                label="add spouse"
+              />
             </div>
           </CardContent>
         </Card>
@@ -301,7 +314,12 @@ export default function FamilyViewPage() {
               {children.map((id) => (
                 <PersonBox key={id} id={id} muted />
               ))}
-              <AddSlot kind="child" anchor={focus.id} label="add child" />
+              <AddSlot
+                formKey={`child-${focus.id}`}
+                kind="child"
+                anchor={focus.id}
+                label="add child"
+              />
             </div>
           </CardContent>
         </Card>