Non-syndromic cleft lip and palate, as well as cleft palate only, is a group of commom birth defects. The relationship between cleft lip and palate and craniofacial features of patients′unaffected relatives is widely recognized, frequently studied, and poorly understood. We summarized a select group of articles written on this topic, and discussed the current understanding of craniofacial features in unaffected relatives of individuals with cleft in this article.