Frank Bunker Gilbreth

The patriarch of the family, Frank is chief of the Gilbreth family's efficient practice. He is also a master of dry humor and a very intelligent and hard working man who is a professional in the area of time and motion studies, which proves very useful in his personal life.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth

Lillian is the mother of the family, and she's described as a genius in the art of living. She is an efficiency professional as well, and her care of the children seems nigh impossible and clearly unrivaled in terms of wrangling numerous children and being able to juggle the various tasks associated with childcare, housekeeping, transportation, and much more. She and Frank have a very strong, loving relationship, and are known as great parents to their children.

Frank Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth

Frank Jr. and Ernestine are the authors of the work, as well as characters within it. They describe the family's life from their own point of view, showing how loving they felt their parents were and how well they were taken care of.

Anne Gilbreth

Anne is the eldest Gilbreth sibling. She has an outgoing and stubborn personality, and she acts as a responsible leader to her younger siblings.

Bill Gilbreth

Bill is the second eldest son, and he acts as a father figure to his siblings. He also loves baseball and is very close with his father.

Lillian Gilbreth

Lillian is the fourth eldest daughter and is named after her mother. In the novel, she is going through puberty and figuring out where she fits in the family. She has a boyish personality and has the most fun playing with her brothers.

Martha, Jack, Fred, Mary, Bob, and Dan Gilbreth

The rest of the children play less prominent roles in the novel. They are mostly playful and rambunctious and require much supervision from their older siblings.