We present an algorithm which uses a new relation vector called the “adjacent elements of each node” and “multiple roots” to replace the “adjacent nodes of each node” and “single root”, which are used in the reverse Cuthill‐McKee (RCM) method. The “adjacent elements of each node” can be formed easily from the “adjacent nodes of each element” which is a basic given array in a finite element system. The required computer storage is significantly less than the other methods using “adjacent nodes of each node”. The listing of FORTRAN subroutines for the proposed algorithm is given. These subroutines can be used directly in the existing finite element system. Since the required storage is small, these subroutines are extremely effective for microcomputers.