R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Italy
Research Outline
  Download the Printable (PDF) Version

Table of Contents
Introduction
Helps For Using This Research Outline
Italian Search Strategies
Records At The Family History Library
Archives And Libraries
     Provincial Archives [Archivio Di Stato]
     Local Civil Offices [Comune]
     Church Archives
     Church Parish
     Other Libraries
     Historical And Genealogical Societies
     Inventories, Registers, Catalogs
     Computer Networks And Bulletin Boards
Biography
Census
     Understanding The Census
     Availability Of Census Records
Church Directories
Church History
     Roman Catholic
     Waldensians
     Eastern Or Greek Orthodox
     Other Churches
Church Records
     General Historical Background
     Duplicate Church Records
     Information Recorded In Church Registers
     Finding Church Records
     Search Strategies
     Records Of Non-catholic Religions
Civil Registration
     General Historical Background
     Information Recorded In Civil Registers
     Finding Civil Registration Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
     Finding The Emigrant’s Town Of Origin
     Emigration From Italy
     Records Of Italian Emigrants In Their Destination Countries
     Immigration Into Italy
Gazetteers
Genealogy
     Major Collections And Databases
     Family Histories
     Genealogical Collections
Heraldry
Historical Geography
History
     Local Histories
Jewish History
Jewish Records
Language And Languages
Maps
Military Records
     Historical Background
     Military Records Of Genealogical Value
     Finding Military Records
Minorities
Names, Personal
     Surnames
     Given Names
Nobility
Notarial Records
Periodicals
Probate Records
Schools
Social Life And Customs
Societies
Other Records Of Italy
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

NOTARIAL RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Notarial records are of limited value in Italian research. Other sources, such as church records and civil registration records, cover a larger percentage of the population, and notarial records are difficult to access. Few notarial records have been microfilmed.

Sometimes notarial records predate church and civil registration records, and they can cover gaps in those records. Since they contain wills, purchases, sales, and legal disputes, notarial records are useful for researching families who owned property or were involved with legal matters.

To find notarial records in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog, see:

ITALY, [PROVINCE] - NOTARIAL RECORDS


Return to top of page


PERIODICALSLook this term up in the glossary.

Most genealogical and historical societies in North America and in Italy publish magazines and newsletters. The articles often include:

  • Family genealogies and pedigrees.
  • Transcripts of church records, migration lists, and cemetery records.
  • Helpful articles on research methodology.
  • Information about local records, archives, and services.
  • Book advertisements and book reviews.
  • Research advertisements.
  • Queries or requests for information about specific ancestors that can help you contact other interested researchers.


North American Periodicals

A few historical and genealogical societies publish periodicals focusing on the Italian immigrants to North America. These are often published quarterly and may focus on the emigrants to a particular region or state. An example is:

POINTers: The American Journal of Italian Genealogy. Published by POINT (Pursuing Our Italian Names Together), P.O. Box 2977, Palos Verdes Penninsula, California, 90274. 1987–. (FHL book US/CANADA 973 D25po; computer number 498288.)


Italian Periodicals

A helpful list of periodicals published in Italy is:

Stolp, Gertrude Nobile. Cataloghi a stampa di periodici delle biblioteche italiane (1859–1967): bibliografia descrittiva (Descriptive bibliography of periodicals in Italian libraries). Firenze: Leo S. Olschki, 1968. (FHL book EUROPE 945 B23s; computer number 64417.)


Obtaining Periodicals

Copies of periodicals are available from the local societies that publish them. Major archives with genealogical collections will have copies of many periodicals, particularly those representing the area they serve.

The Family History Library subscribes to many Italian periodicals. These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog in several ways. If you know the title of a periodical, look in the Author/Title Search. To find periodicals in the Locality Search, look for:

ITALY- GENEALOGY- PERIODICALSITALY - HISTORY- PERIODICALSITALY- PERIODICALSITALY- SOCIETIES- PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - GENEALOGY- PERIODICALSITALY - [PROVINCE] - HISTORY- PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - SOCIETIES- PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - [TOWN] - GENEALOGY- PERIODICALSITALY - [PROVINCE] - [TOWN] - HISTORY- PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - [TOWN] - PERIODICALSITALY- [PROVINCE] - [TOWN] - SOCIETIES- PERIODICALS[STATE]- GENEALOGY- PERIODICALS[STATE]- HISTORY- PERIODICALS[STATE]- PERIODICALS[STATE]- SOCIETIES- PERIODICALS

For more information, see also the “Societies” section of this outline.

Return to top of page

Previous Document   Next Document

©1998, 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]