diff --git a/migrations/Version20260906115952.php b/migrations/Version20260906115952.php
index ebcb8d7..8926b1a 100644
--- a/migrations/Version20260906115952.php
+++ b/migrations/Version20260906115952.php
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ final class Version20260906115952 extends AbstractMigration
 
     public function up(Schema $schema): void
     {
-        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE `user` (id INT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, email VARCHAR(180) NOT NULL, roles JSON NOT NULL, password VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, UNIQUE INDEX UNIQ_8D93D649E7927C74 (email), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4');
-        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE messenger_messages (id BIGINT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, body LONGTEXT NOT NULL, headers LONGTEXT NOT NULL, queue_name VARCHAR(190) NOT NULL, created_at DATETIME NOT NULL, available_at DATETIME NOT NULL, delivered_at DATETIME DEFAULT NULL, INDEX IDX_75EA56E0FB7336F0E3BD61CE16BA31DBBF396750 (queue_name, available_at, delivered_at, id), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4');
+        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE `user` (id INT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, email VARCHAR(180) NOT NULL, roles JSON NOT NULL, password VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, UNIQUE INDEX UNIQ_8D93D649E7927C74 (email), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 ENGINE = InnoDB');
+        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE messenger_messages (id BIGINT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, body LONGTEXT NOT NULL, headers LONGTEXT NOT NULL, queue_name VARCHAR(190) NOT NULL, created_at DATETIME NOT NULL, available_at DATETIME NOT NULL, delivered_at DATETIME DEFAULT NULL, INDEX IDX_75EA56E0FB7336F0E3BD61CE16BA31DBBF396750 (queue_name, available_at, delivered_at, id), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 ENGINE = InnoDB');
     }
 
     public function down(Schema $schema): void
diff --git a/migrations/Version20260906125931.php b/migrations/Version20260906125931.php
index 800bba6..5394cb1 100644
--- a/migrations/Version20260906125931.php
+++ b/migrations/Version20260906125931.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ final class Version20260906125931 extends AbstractMigration
 
     public function up(Schema $schema): void
     {
-        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE npc (id INT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, family VARCHAR(120) NOT NULL, name VARCHAR(160) NOT NULL, age SMALLINT DEFAULT NULL, race VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, occupation VARCHAR(160) DEFAULT NULL, relationships LONGTEXT DEFAULT NULL, village_status VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, blood_cart_involvement VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, mystery_importance VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, game_notes LONGTEXT DEFAULT NULL, updated_at DATETIME DEFAULT NULL, UNIQUE INDEX uniq_npc_family_name (family, name), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4');
+        $this->addSql('CREATE TABLE npc (id INT AUTO_INCREMENT NOT NULL, family VARCHAR(120) NOT NULL, name VARCHAR(160) NOT NULL, age SMALLINT DEFAULT NULL, race VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, occupation VARCHAR(160) DEFAULT NULL, relationships LONGTEXT DEFAULT NULL, village_status VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, blood_cart_involvement VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, mystery_importance VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, game_notes LONGTEXT DEFAULT NULL, updated_at DATETIME DEFAULT NULL, UNIQUE INDEX uniq_npc_family_name (family, name), PRIMARY KEY (id)) DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 ENGINE = InnoDB');
     }
 
     public function down(Schema $schema): void
diff --git a/migrations/Version20260906131635.php b/migrations/Version20260906131635.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f297be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/Version20260906131635.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace DoctrineMigrations;
+
+use Doctrine\DBAL\Schema\Schema;
+use Doctrine\Migrations\AbstractMigration;
+
+/**
+ * Auto-generated Migration: Please modify to your needs!
+ */
+final class Version20260906131635 extends AbstractMigration
+{
+    public function getDescription(): string
+    {
+        return 'Add self-referencing father_id / mother_id to npc';
+    }
+
+    public function up(Schema $schema): void
+    {
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc ADD father_id INT DEFAULT NULL, ADD mother_id INT DEFAULT NULL');
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc ADD CONSTRAINT FK_468C762C2055B9A2 FOREIGN KEY (father_id) REFERENCES npc (id) ON DELETE SET NULL');
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc ADD CONSTRAINT FK_468C762CB78A354D FOREIGN KEY (mother_id) REFERENCES npc (id) ON DELETE SET NULL');
+        $this->addSql('CREATE INDEX IDX_468C762C2055B9A2 ON npc (father_id)');
+        $this->addSql('CREATE INDEX IDX_468C762CB78A354D ON npc (mother_id)');
+    }
+
+    public function down(Schema $schema): void
+    {
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc DROP FOREIGN KEY FK_468C762C2055B9A2');
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc DROP FOREIGN KEY FK_468C762CB78A354D');
+        $this->addSql('DROP INDEX IDX_468C762C2055B9A2 ON npc');
+        $this->addSql('DROP INDEX IDX_468C762CB78A354D ON npc');
+        $this->addSql('ALTER TABLE npc DROP father_id, DROP mother_id');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Command/LinkNpcParentsCommand.php b/src/Command/LinkNpcParentsCommand.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d919c04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Command/LinkNpcParentsCommand.php
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Command;
+
+use App\Entity\Npc;
+use App\Repository\NpcRepository;
+use Doctrine\ORM\EntityManagerInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Attribute\AsCommand;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Command\Command;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Input\InputOption;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Output\OutputInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Console\Style\SymfonyStyle;
+
+#[AsCommand(
+    name: 'app:npc:link-parents',
+    description: "Derive each NPC's father/mother from the free-text \"Relationships / Notes\" column.",
+)]
+class LinkNpcParentsCommand extends Command
+{
+    /**
+     * "Son of X", "Daughter of X and Y", "Youngest child of X and Y".
+     * The lookbehind keeps "grandson of ..." from matching.
+     */
+    private const RE = '/(?<![a-z])(?:son|daughter|child) of ([A-Z][\p{L}\'-]+)(?:\s+and\s+([A-Z][\p{L}\'-]+))?/iu';
+
+    /** First names whose gender the relationship text can't reveal. */
+    private const NAME_GENDER = [
+        'Hilda' => 'f', 'Celyn' => 'f', 'Alda' => 'f', 'Sella' => 'f', 'Maris' => 'f',
+        'Poppy' => 'f', 'Nella' => 'f', 'Sera' => 'f', 'Fara' => 'f', 'Anya' => 'f',
+        'Jessa' => 'f', 'Vara' => 'f', 'Mira' => 'f', 'Maeve' => 'f', 'Talia' => 'f',
+        'Marek' => 'm', 'Aric' => 'm', 'Ralf' => 'm', 'Finn' => 'm', 'Kellen' => 'm',
+        'Garran' => 'm', 'Korin' => 'm', 'Evan' => 'm', 'Ronan' => 'm', 'Orrin' => 'm',
+        'Bramble' => 'm', 'Arlen' => 'm', 'Corvin' => 'm', 'Jory' => 'm', 'Gideon' => 'm',
+    ];
+
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly EntityManagerInterface $em,
+        private readonly NpcRepository $npcs,
+    ) {
+        parent::__construct();
+    }
+
+    protected function configure(): void
+    {
+        $this
+            ->addOption('force', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Overwrite father/mother links that are already set')
+            ->addOption('dry-run', null, InputOption::VALUE_NONE, 'Report only, write nothing');
+    }
+
+    protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output): int
+    {
+        $io = new SymfonyStyle($input, $output);
+        $force = (bool) $input->getOption('force');
+        $dryRun = (bool) $input->getOption('dry-run');
+
+        /** @var list<Npc> $all */
+        $all = $this->npcs->findAll();
+
+        // index by "family|firstname" for resolution, and by "family|fullname"
+        $byFull = $byFirst = [];
+        foreach ($all as $n) {
+            $byFull[$this->k($n->getFamily(), $n->getName())] = $n;
+            $first = explode(' ', trim($n->getName()))[0];
+            $byFirst[$this->k($n->getFamily(), $first)][] = $n;
+        }
+
+        $rows = [];
+        $linked = $assumed = $unresolved = 0;
+
+        foreach ($all as $npc) {
+            $text = (string) $npc->getRelationships();
+            if (!preg_match(self::RE, $text, $m)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            $names = array_values(array_filter([$m[1] ?? null, $m[2] ?? null]));
+
+            $resolved = [];
+            $problem = null;
+            foreach ($names as $first) {
+                $cand = $this->resolve($npc, $first, $byFull, $byFirst);
+                if (null === $cand) {
+                    $problem = sprintf('no "%s" in %s', $first, $npc->getFamily());
+                    break;
+                }
+                $resolved[] = $cand;
+            }
+            if ($problem) {
+                $rows[] = [$npc->getName(), '', '', $problem];
+                ++$unresolved;
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            [$father, $mother, $note] = $this->assign($resolved);
+            if (null === $father && null === $mother) {
+                $rows[] = [$npc->getName(), '', '', 'could not tell father from mother'];
+                ++$unresolved;
+                continue;
+            }
+            if ('assumed' === $note) {
+                ++$assumed;
+            }
+
+            $changed = false;
+            if ($father && ($force || null === $npc->getFather())) {
+                $npc->setFather($father);
+                $changed = true;
+            }
+            if ($mother && ($force || null === $npc->getMother())) {
+                $npc->setMother($mother);
+                $changed = true;
+            }
+            if ($changed) {
+                ++$linked;
+            }
+
+            $rows[] = [
+                $npc->getName(),
+                $npc->getFather()?->getName() ?? '',
+                $npc->getMother()?->getName() ?? '',
+                'assumed' === $note ? 'order assumed (first = father)' : ($changed ? '' : 'already set'),
+            ];
+        }
+
+        if (!$dryRun) {
+            $this->em->flush();
+        }
+
+        $io->table(['NPC', 'Father', 'Mother', 'Note'], $rows);
+        $io->success(sprintf(
+            '%s: %d linked, %d with assumed parent order, %d unresolved.',
+            $dryRun ? 'Dry run' : 'Done',
+            $linked,
+            $assumed,
+            $unresolved,
+        ));
+
+        return Command::SUCCESS;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, Npc>        $byFull
+     * @param array<string, list<Npc>>  $byFirst
+     */
+    private function resolve(Npc $child, string $first, array $byFull, array $byFirst): ?Npc
+    {
+        $exact = $byFull[$this->k($child->getFamily(), $first.' '.$child->getFamily())] ?? null;
+        if ($exact && $exact !== $child) {
+            return $exact;
+        }
+        $cands = array_values(array_filter(
+            $byFirst[$this->k($child->getFamily(), $first)] ?? [],
+            static fn (Npc $n) => $n !== $child,
+        ));
+
+        return 1 === \count($cands) ? $cands[0] : null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param list<Npc> $parents 1 or 2 resolved NPCs
+     *
+     * @return array{0: ?Npc, 1: ?Npc, 2: string}  [father, mother, note]
+     */
+    private function assign(array $parents): array
+    {
+        if (1 === \count($parents)) {
+            $g = $this->gender($parents[0]);
+
+            return match ($g) {
+                'm' => [$parents[0], null, ''],
+                'f' => [null, $parents[0], ''],
+                default => [null, null, ''],
+            };
+        }
+
+        [$a, $b] = $parents;
+        $ga = $this->gender($a);
+        $gb = $this->gender($b);
+
+        if ('m' === $ga || 'f' === $gb) {
+            return [$a, $b, ''];
+        }
+        if ('f' === $ga || 'm' === $gb) {
+            return [$b, $a, ''];
+        }
+
+        return [$a, $b, 'assumed'];
+    }
+
+    private function gender(Npc $n): ?string
+    {
+        $t = ' '.strtolower((string) $n->getRelationships()).' ';
+        foreach (['husband of', 'widower', ' son of', ' brother of'] as $needle) {
+            if (str_contains($t, $needle)) {
+                return 'm';
+            }
+        }
+        foreach (['wife of', 'widow', ' daughter of', ' sister of', ' mother of', ' midwife'] as $needle) {
+            if (str_contains($t, $needle)) {
+                return 'f';
+            }
+        }
+
+        return self::NAME_GENDER[explode(' ', trim($n->getName()))[0]] ?? null;
+    }
+
+    private function k(string $a, string $b): string
+    {
+        return mb_strtolower(trim($a).'|'.trim($b));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Entity/Npc.php b/src/Entity/Npc.php
index 88a4c4e..4f89eb4 100644
--- a/src/Entity/Npc.php
+++ b/src/Entity/Npc.php
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ class Npc
     #[ORM\Column(type: Types::TEXT, nullable: true)]
     private ?string $relationships = null;
 
+    #[ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity: self::class)]
+    #[ORM\JoinColumn(name: 'father_id', onDelete: 'SET NULL')]
+    private ?Npc $father = null;
+
+    #[ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity: self::class)]
+    #[ORM\JoinColumn(name: 'mother_id', onDelete: 'SET NULL')]
+    private ?Npc $mother = null;
+
     #[ORM\Column(enumType: VillageStatus::class)]
     private VillageStatus $villageStatus = VillageStatus::Established;
 
@@ -143,6 +151,30 @@ class Npc
         return $this;
     }
 
+    public function getFather(): ?Npc
+    {
+        return $this->father;
+    }
+
+    public function setFather(?Npc $father): static
+    {
+        $this->father = $father;
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    public function getMother(): ?Npc
+    {
+        return $this->mother;
+    }
+
+    public function setMother(?Npc $mother): static
+    {
+        $this->mother = $mother;
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
     public function getVillageStatus(): VillageStatus
     {
         return $this->villageStatus;
diff --git a/src/Form/NpcType.php b/src/Form/NpcType.php
index 50859ae..ba0a908 100644
--- a/src/Form/NpcType.php
+++ b/src/Form/NpcType.php
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ use App\Enum\BloodCartInvolvement;
 use App\Enum\MysteryImportance;
 use App\Enum\Race;
 use App\Enum\VillageStatus;
+use App\Repository\NpcRepository;
+use Symfony\Bridge\Doctrine\Form\Type\EntityType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\EnumType;
 use Symfony\Component\Form\Extension\Core\Type\IntegerType;
@@ -34,7 +36,19 @@ class NpcType extends AbstractType
                 'required' => false,
                 'label' => 'Relationships / Notes',
                 'attr' => ['rows' => 3],
-            ])
+            ]);
+
+        $parent = [
+            'class' => Npc::class,
+            'required' => false,
+            'placeholder' => '— unknown —',
+            'choice_label' => static fn (Npc $n) => sprintf('%s (%s)', $n->getName(), $n->getFamily()),
+            'query_builder' => static fn (NpcRepository $r) => $r->createQueryBuilder('n')
+                ->orderBy('n.family', 'ASC')->addOrderBy('n.name', 'ASC'),
+        ];
+        $builder
+            ->add('father', EntityType::class, $parent)
+            ->add('mother', EntityType::class, $parent)
             ->add('villageStatus', EnumType::class, $enum(VillageStatus::class))
             ->add('bloodCartInvolvement', EnumType::class, $enum(BloodCartInvolvement::class))
             ->add('mysteryImportance', EnumType::class, $enum(MysteryImportance::class))
diff --git a/templates/npc/edit.html.twig b/templates/npc/edit.html.twig
index 0f737e4..9ea6420 100644
--- a/templates/npc/edit.html.twig
+++ b/templates/npc/edit.html.twig
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
                     {{ form_row(form.villageStatus) }}
                     {{ form_row(form.bloodCartInvolvement) }}
                     {{ form_row(form.mysteryImportance) }}
+                    <div class="row">
+                        <div class="col-6">{{ form_row(form.father) }}</div>
+                        <div class="col-6">{{ form_row(form.mother) }}</div>
+                    </div>
                     {{ form_row(form.relationships) }}
                 </div>
             </div>