Italy - Applied Research
                               Mary Ann McKennon


               Finding Place of Origin of Italian Immigrant

I. American Record Sources
     A. Family records: official documents, letters, diaries, miscellaneous
        family records.
     B. Immigration and Naturalization Service records since 26 Sep 1906.
     C. Immigration Passenger Lists ( See "Guide to Genealogical Records in 
        the National Archives". 
     D. U.S. Customs Passenger Lists
     E. Local and County Histories and genealogies
     F. Federal and State censuses
     G. Vital statistics (marriage and death certificates)
     H. Newspapers (see Gergory "American Newspapers..."): obituaries, 
        biography or other newsworthy article on ancestor.
     I. American church records.
     J. Cemetery records.
     K. Land and Property records : Grantee and Grantor deeds, Homestead 
        Acts
     L. Naturalization records - "Declaration of Intention" or "Petition"  
        See above mentioned "Guide".
     M. U.S. Military records, 1798-1884 (on microfilm at LDS Genealogical 
        Department Library).
     N. Societies and Fraternal organization records.
II. Reference Aids in locating Place of Origin of Immigrant Ancestor 
    (American sources).
     A. "Ayer Directory of Publications" Philadelphia, Ayer, 1975.
     B. Greenwood, Val D. "The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy", 
        Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973.
     C. Gregory, Winifred, "American Newspapers 1821-1936, A Union List of 
        Files available in the United States and Canada", NY, Wilson, 1937.
     D. "Guide to Genealogical Records in the National ARchives", Washington 
        DC, General Services Administration.
     E. Miller, Olga K., "Migration, Emigration, Immigration", Loga, 
        Everton, 1974.
     F. Neagles, James C. and Lila Lee, "Locating Your Immigrant Ancestor. 
        A Guide to Naturalization Records", Logan, Everton, 1975.
III. Italian Sources
     A. Genealogical Library of County Guelfo Guelfi-Cmajani, Via Torta 14, 
        Firenze, Italy. - surname index with over 4,000,000 surnames, very 
        expensive for them to do research.
     B. Regional genealogies and histories at the LDS Genealogical 
        Department Library.
     C. Province known -- see state archives for records.  Addresses found 
        in "Archivum: Revue Internationale des Archives", Paris, Presses 
        Universitaires de France, Vol V, 1955, pp. 141-154.  Includes leva 
        (conscription records), passport and emigration records, 
        certificato di famiglia (Ufficio Anagrafe).
     D. Indexes in State Archives to localize surnames : Leva; birth, 
        marriage, and death records in major cities; notarial records; 
        genealogical and heraldic collections; other indexes depending on 
        archive.

                        Civil Registration in Italy

I. Ufficio Anagrafe ( Registration Office)
     A. Certificato di Stato di Famiglia (Situazione di Famiglia): head of 
        household and all family members, date and placer of birth of each 
        family member, this form follows family as it moves, receives copy of 
        vital statistics each year to update forms.
II. Ufficio Dello Stato Civile
     A. Birth certificates (Certificato di Nascita): date of birth, place 
        of birth, parent's names (including maiden name of mother).
     B. Marriage Certificates (Certificato di Matrimonio): date of 
        marriage, place of marriage, name of bride and groom, place and 
        dates of birth of bride and groom, sometimes gives parents' names 
        and occupations of bride and groom.
     C. Death Certificates: date of death, place of death, date and place 
        of birth (or age at death).
III. Use of Gazetteers and where to write for civil records in Italy
     A. "Nuovo Dizionario dei Comuni e Frazioni di Comuni", 22nd edition, 
        Roma, Dizinario Voghera dei Comuni, 1954.  Find the name of comune 
        (town).  If not there look under name of frazione or try variant 
        spelling.  Find the name of the province - indicated after name of 
        comune.
     B. Write to appropriate agency in comune forrecords (Province name in 
        parenthesis). Ufficio dello Stato Civile (and) Ufficio di Anagrafe.
IV. History of Civil Registration in Italy
     A. Northern Italy: Napoleonic area (1803-1815).  Bolzano and Trento 
        (16th century to present).
     B. Tuscany region (1808 to present).
     C. Southern Italy and Sicily (1820 to present).
     D. Rest of Italy (1869 to present).


                          Church Records in Italy

I. Catholic Parish REgisters (Registri parrocchiali)
     A. Most begin about 1546 or later (since 1493 in Fiesole)
     B. In local parish custody
     C. Information found in local registers: date and place of birth or 
        baptism, sex of child (shown by word for "born" nato or nata), name 
        of child, names of parents, sometimes names of grandparents, names 
        of godparents, residence, names of witnesses or proxies (if 
        godparents not present), etc.
     D. Often diocese has duplicate copies of marriage records with 
        baptismal certificates of bride and groom.
     E. Marriage records: names and residence of bride and groom (sometimes 
        ages), date and place of marriage, names of parents of bride and 
        groom (sometimes maiden names of mothers), marital status (single, 
        divorced, widowed, etc), names of witnesses (sometimes ages and 
        residences).
     F. Death and burial records: date from about 1600.  Give name and 
        often age of deceased.  date and place of death, residence at time 
        of death, sometimes names of parents and spouse, place and date of 
        burial.
II. Protestant Parish Registers
     A. Mostly in North (Waldensians)
     B. Date from about 1685
     C. Contain basically same information as Catholic registers
     D. 16 Waldensian parishes filmed in Pinerolo district (in LDS 
        Genealogical Department Library).
III. Clerical Survey (Status Animarum)
     A. Taken at discretion of parish.
     B. Shows family groups within a parish
     C. Some include biographical data such as birth dates, marriages. etc. 
IV. Diocesan Records and Other Ecclesiastical Records
     A. Confirmation books (Libri di Cresimati)
     B. Excommunication books (Libri de Scommunicati)
     C. Special permission for persons permitted to marry relatives.
     D. Church property records.
     E. Records of Protestants who were converted to Catholocism.
     F. Biographical data on clerics (bishops, priests, etc).
     G. Information relating to members of religious orders.


 Extending Your Pedigree Where There are Gaps in Civil and Church Records

1. Notarial Records (Atti Notarili) 
     A. Marriage contracts
     B. Dowery agreements
     C. Wills and probate agreements
     D. Donations of land and other property transactions
     E. Name of father of parties often name in notarial records.
     F. Known also as insinuazioni (Northern Italy) and extensioni (other 
        parts of Italy).
     G. Kept in State archives
     H. Ususally being in 1300's and 1400's (some earlier)
          Venezia 828
          Firenze 1092
          Genova 1154
          Siena 1220
          Bologna 1226
          Padova 1228
          Sondrio 1254
          Udine 1259
          Modena 1271
II. Property Appraisal Records (Estimi)
     A. Periodic apprqisal of property for tax purposes.
     B. Date back early (1300's)
     C. Gives names of parents or property owners
     D. Estimi for Parma and Bergamo on microfilm at LDS Genealogical 
        Department Library
III. Tax Lists (Catasti)
     A. Lists head of household and dependents
     B. Occupations and places of origin of individuals also given
IV. List of Human Mouths and Harvests (denuncie delle bocche umane e de' 
    raccolti).  Lists complete family groups and ages.  Used for tax 
    purposes.
V. Census of Travel Permits (Catasti degli patenti)
VI. Citizenship Records (Cittadinanza).  Gives place of origin of new 
    citizens, their parentage, and other miscellaneous data.  Covers early 
    time period (1569 to 1796 in Venice).
VII. Golden Books (Libri d'Oro). Lists of Nobility and distinguished 
     citizens.


               Printed and Other Secondary Sources in Italy

I. Regional and Local Histories
   General source.  Provides good background.  Names important people of 
   the area.  In the LDS library mostly in Northern Italy and Sicily, a few 
   for the rest of Italy.
II. Biographical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
     A. Helps localize surnames.  Indicates mostly nobility or 
        distinguished citizens.
     B. "Chi e?" Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani di Oggi
     C. "Dizionario Storico-Blasonico delle FAmigle Nobili e Notabili 
        Italiane"
     D. "Enciclopedia Storico-Nobiliare Italiane"
III. Periodicals
     A. Few in Italy.  Most deal with noble families.  Good for locating 
        surnames.  No index - hard to use.  Some regional periodicals.
IV. Family Histories and Genealogies
     A. Mostly nobility.  Few in the LDS Genealogical Library.  Usually 
        excellent if one pertaining to ancestor is found.
V. Reference Aids
     A. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Genealogical 
        Society. "Major Genealogical Record Sources for Italy", Series G., 
        No. 2, Salt Lake City.
     B. Leese de Breffny, Brian M. " Finding your Italian and Italian-Swiss 
        Ancestors and Emigration from ITaly to the New World" World 
        Conference on Records, Salt Lake City, 1969, F-11.
     C. Leese, Brian M., "Report on Genealogical Sources for the 
        Waldensians of the Piedmont Region in Northern Italy"
     D. Cappelli, Adriano, "Dizionario di Abbreviature Latine ed Italiane", 
        Milano, 1967.
     E. "Atlanta Econometrico delle Regioni d'Italia", Milano, 1967.]
     F. Italy. Istituto Geographico Militare. "Carta d'Italia"
     G. "Nuovo Dizionario dei Comuni e Frazioni di Comuni", 22nd ed, Roma, 
        Dizionario Voghera de Comuni, 1954.

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