Google

ITALIAN GENEALOGY ONLINE

ITALIAN Genealogy Online HOME ROMAN History Italian ART Slice of ITALY GENEALOGY TOOLS Italian NAMES Ancestry TREES Surname BOARDS MESSAGE BOARD FORUM


Site Map
Steve's Tips on Italian Records from Italy for Genealogy Research
Thanks to Steve Saviello founder & Owner of the Comunes of Italy Genealogy Group for sharing this helpful information for your Italian Genealogy Records Research. Obtaining your ancestors Italian Family Tree Archives records from Italy is easier with a better understanding of what is available, who holds the historical archives & where to obtain Italian genealogical records.

Writing to ITALY - Where to Write For Italian Records & How To Format the Addresses.
Italian Records / Italian Organization - Lists what records are available and who has them. Directions on how to Research by Mail and more.
Research by Mail - Guidelines and suggestions when writing to Italy for documents.
Italian Conscription Records - Guidelines and suggestions on finding them.
Writing to Italy: How To Format the Addresses:
If you are writing to a Comune (town) use the following (example) of an address format:
L'Ufficiale Di Anagrafe
Comune Di Salerno
84100 Salerno (SA)
ITALIA
  • No matter which Comune you are going to write you change only the Comune name, Zipcode and Province code which is the (SA) above.

For the Archivio Di Stato (example):

ARCHIVIO DI STATO DI CASERTA
Via Apia, 1
81100 Caserta (CE)
ITALIA
  • No matter which Archivio Di Stato you write, you change only the Name, Street address, Zip and Province code.

_________________
By Stephen J. Saviello,
Owner, COMUNES OF ITALY MAILING LIST

^ To Top ^

Italian Records / Italian Organization:
  • 20 Regions -- similar to States in US
  • 103 Provinces -- similar to US Counties
  • Within the Provinces are multiple Comuni (municipalities / townships)
  • Within a Comuni may be several Frazioni (hamlets)
    Record Responsibility:
    • The Comune has been given the Administrative Duties of record keeping.
    Record keeping - time frame:
    • Civil Vital Records were instituted by Napoleon, but were inconsistently used within Italy after Napoleon, however, the record format is valid today.
      • Officially began 1860 - 1870
      • In the south of Italy - 1866
      • Piedmont - 1839
      • Venice - 1870 - 1871
      • Many other areas began with Napoleon in the early 1800's
    Types of Records:
    • There are three basic records plus 1 exception:
      • Birth -- certificato di nascita
      • Marriage -- certificato di matrimonio
      • Death -- certificato di morte
      • Exception -- Family certificate - stato di famiglia - when and where available addressed later.
    Where records are kept:
    • One copy is held at the comune (municipality) level at the officio di stato civile.
    • A second copy is sent to province seat and is in the custody of the "procuratore" in the office of the "procura della repubblica".
    • These records are not available for consultation until they are 75 years old, at which time they are sent to the State Archives, where, dependent on resources they may be available for consultation.
    • Exception - records less than 75 yrs old may be viewed by the persons self, or family member.
    • There are no national archives.
    • There are no regional archives.
    Where records are available:
    • Ufficio di stato civile - Civil Vital Records Office - which contains two records classifications:
      • anagrafe - concerned with current living residents.
      • ufficio di stato civile - concerned with records of all persons - born, married, died, within the comune (i.e. Putignano).
    Types of documents available from the records:
    • Records within the comune reflect birth, marriage, & death, however, if a person married in another comune, the full record is in that other comune. The comune of residence can release a "certificate" of the event, however, a full EXTRACT would have to come from the comune where the event took place. The same is true of births, or deaths. The comune of residence can release a "certificate" of the event, however, a full EXTRACT would have to come from the comune where the event took place. The same is true of births, or deaths.
      • The original - la copia integrale dell'atto - not available except for personal viewing - subject to the 75 year rule of privacy.
      • The certificate - il certificato - usually sent unless otherwise specified - contains only minimal basic information.
      • The extract - estratto dell'atto - contains most information, but must be requested.
Record content:
    Birth certificate:
      • Birth date
      • Comune
      • Province
      • Surname
      • Given name
      • Town of birth (comune only except on a copy of the Original which can only be viewed which will show the frazione)
    Birth extract:
      • Same as certificate
      • Time of birth
      • Childs sex
      • Parents names
      • Marginal notes - i.e. marriage, death, emigration information
    Marriage certificate (recorded in brides parish):
      • Comune
      • Province
      • Date of Marriage
      • Place of Marriage
      • Bride & Grooms' names
      • Bride and Grooms marriage status (i.e. widowed, divorced etc.)
      • Birth place and date of bride and groom, or alternately their ages
      • Bride and Grooms vocations/profession
      • Current residence and citizenship of bride and groom
      • Presiding official or priests name
      • Witness names
    Marriage extract:
      • Same as Marriage certificate except no birth dates, only ages
      • Parents names
    Death certificate:found in comune where death occurred
    WARNING - if in a hospital, it may be a different location from the comune of residence, since not all comuni have hospitals. A transcription is provided to the comune of residence, however, a full extract must come from comune where death occurred.
      • Comune
      • Province
      • Date of certificate
      • Surname/Given name
      • Residence
      • Born at
      • Birth date information, or approximate age
      • Marriage status
      • Date and place of death
    Death extract:
      • Hour of death
      • Address
      • Parents names
      • Profession
    Family Certificate: stato di famiglia (state of the family)
    Two names
      • stato di famiglia originario (original state of the family)
      • stato di famiglia storico ( historical state of the family)
        • Should be available for births >1911, (based upon the 1911 census and (later)
        • Can be constructed for earlier dates, from individual documents, if the town office staff is willing, and should cost approximately $40.00.
        • Kept at ufficio di stato civile
        • Documents all members of the family - past & present, died or moved away.

^ To Top ^

Research by Mail:
    Suggestions:
    • Write in Italian.
    • Use typewriter or word processor.
    • Limit the request to one or two items of information at a time
    • Most useful is stato di famiglia storico - if available, might be worthwhile requesting it even if you think it is not readily available.
    • If researching 2 families from the same era and location simultaneously, consider asking for both at the same time records will only have to be researched once for both.
    • Provide all available information.
    • Provide the purpose of the request.
    • Do not give or imply a deadline unless absolutely necessary, and then explain it.
    • Include your return address on your letter, and on the self-addressed return envelope.
    • Don't put stamps on envelope - use International Postal Coupons as an additional courtesy.
    Writing the Letter:
    • Address to: ufficio di stato civile in the comune of interest
    • Include zip code if known
    • If no zip code is available, include the Province name (or abbreviation) in parentheses following the town name.
    • Start with "Dear Sirs,"
    • End with "Sincerely yours"
    1st part of the letter:
    • should identify who is making the request (include reference to the address you have included in the letterhead)
    2nd part of the letter:
    • Requests the specific information & includes all the available information surrounding the request (use your imagination and provide any specifics that will allow them to single out your requested individual).
    • Request the EXTRACT!!! rather than the certificate.
    • Request the data on "non legal paper" (in carta libera) - unless you need it for legal purposes.
    • Include the fathers name of the individual if possible
    3rd part of the letter (ending part):
    • Thank them in advance for their time and effort.
    • Request they charge you for postal and document expenses.
    • Include a self-addressed (unstamped) envelope
    Additional information:
    • Research at the comune level for a single name with date supplied should cost approximately L1,000 per certificate.
    • Research at the comune level for a single name with name only supplied should cost approximately L10,000 per certificate (approximately $8.00).
    • Personal consultation is all right for records <75 years old with prior permission from the procura della repubblica.

^ To Top ^

Italian Conscription Records:
    Conscription began in 1865 for all males age 18 in some parts, however 1873 for most parts. Two copies made, held at:
    • Military archive of the military district.
    • Initially provided to the "procura della repubblica" and after 75 years provided to the State Archive.
    State Archive has records of each military district within the province boundaries.
    - - Records contain:
    • Name
    • Parents' names
    • Comune of residence
    • Birth date
    • Comune of birth
    • Vocation
    • Ability to read/write
    • Physical description
    • Draft boards determination of eligibility
    Letter Requesting Conscription Records:
    • Addressed to the Archive Director (Archivio di Stato di (province of interest (i.e. Bari)
    • Provide as much information re the person as possible (same rules as requesting birth, marriage, or death record information)
    • Provide a reason for the request
    • Request their suggestion for further research in records peculiar to their region
    • Request a copy of the document - it may contain some additional information you haven't requested

File from Stephen J. Saviello,
List-Owner, Comunes of Italy Genealogy Group

^ To Top ^

Special Thanks to...
Stephen J. Saviello
List-Owner: Comunes of Italy Genealogy Group
Editor, 1997 to 2000, Comunes of Italy Italian Mailing List

  • Stephen J. Saviello's Italian Genealogy Articles appear on "Italian Genealogy Online and all things Italian" with his kind permission, which was sent to me by him on:
    Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 11:51:23 -0800 (PST)
    If someone is charging you to view these articles, file a complaint & have them return your money.
    Best Regards to All,
    Paula Nigro [editor]

Italian Genealogy Online | Italian Form Letters | Italy Genealogy Tools | Genealogy Help Index | Italian Names | USA Genealogy Help Tools | Translation Help-Aids | Ship Lookups | Surname Boards |  Site Map
This website is best viewed with a 800 X 600 screen resolution

  For future reference Bookmark this site 

Italian Genealogy Online and all things Italian
also visit:
 Italy Roots Forum Italian Genealogy Online Message Board

To get out of "Frames" right click on one of the links above and choose "Open in New Window"
or copy a link above and paste onto a new browser window.
If you paid to be linked here, please complain to the site that linked you here as this is a totally free genealogy site for all to use and enjoy!

Disclaimer: The author of this site provides these links as a matter of convenience and does not necessarily endorse what you may find there nor the accuracy of the information contained therein.
Last Revision:30 Nov 2007
Webmaster

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated.
Copyright © 1997 - 2007 by Italian Genealogy ONLINE (original site location)