The magazine was started as a family-oriented weekly by Carl Aller in 1877 under the name Illustreret Familie-Journal.

[9] The magazine targets women over forty[6][10] who are primarily from lower social classes.

[1] The Swedish version was launched in 1879 with the name Illustrerad Familij Journal.

[8] The frequent topics covered in Familie Journal include sewing and knitting, cooking and baking.

[6] A popular correspondence column, called Små hverdags problemer (Danish: Small everyday problems) was run by writer and journalist Edith Rode from 1937 to 1956 and then up to 1976 by writer and poet Tove Ditlevsen.