With a large database, GRAMPS can "run out of available locks". For 140.000 people you should use: max_locks 300000 and max_objects 300000 The easiest way to do this is to create an empty database the add a file DB_CONFIG to the database directory before importing (see gramps -l output for the directory of a specific family tree. Contents of this DB_CONFIG file should be:  #may want to fiddle with cachesize also #set_cachesize 0 200000000 2 set_lk_max_locks 300000 set_lk_max_objects 300000  See bug report below.