|
Italy Research Outline |
|
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
ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES Archives collect and preserve original documents created by organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm. This section describes the major repositories of genealogical and historical records and sources for Italy.
If you plan to visit one of these repositories, contact the organization and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees.
Although the records you need may be in an archive or library in Italy, the Family History Library may have a microfilm copy of them. The library has copies of many records from numerous Italian archives, as noted below, but from only a few libraries and other record repositories.
In Italy there are several major types of genealogical repositories:
In Italy each province has its own archive. Most records of genealogical value are kept by provincial archives. They serve as repositories for records about their particular area.
Records of genealogical value at provincial archives include:
The provincial archives of Italy are open to the public. In addition, the Family History Library has microfilm copies of many of the records from these archives.
In Italy all records created by the local government since 1865, including birth, death, and marriage records, are kept in local civil offices. These records are available to the public. Civil offices are comparable to town halls in the United States.
Duplicates are kept at the tribunale. You can get information or copies of the records kept at the comune or tribunale by correspondence. You can find a list of archival addresses in:
Archivum; revue internationale des archives publié e avec le concours financier de l’Unesco et sous les auspices du Consil internationale des archives (International review on archives published by the International Council of Archives with the financial aid of Unesco). Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1952. (FHL book EUROPE REF 020.5 Ar25 v. 38; computer number 36460.)
For more information about civil offices and their records, see the “Civil Registration” section of this outline.
Some dioceses of the Catholic Church have gathered duplicates of their older church records into a diocesan archive. You can write to these archives and request brief searches of their records. See the “Church Records” section of this outline.
Catholic records are usually kept by the local parish. You can write to local parishes and church archives for information. See the “Church Records” section of this outline.
Jewish archives, which were mostly destroyed during World War II, are found at the synagogue for each city where a Jewish community existed or exists. The archives of the Waldensians, the oldest Protestant group in the world, are in Torre Pelice in the province of Torino. For more information regarding these groups, see the “Church History” and “Jewish Records” sections of this outline.
Some of the sources you will want to use are also available in major libraries in Italy. These sources include local histories, ancient manuscripts, and unpublished works regarding heraldry and genealogy. Contact these libraries and ask about their collection, hours, services, and fees. A good source regarding Italian libraries and their collections is:
Annuario delle biblioteche italiane (Yearbook of Italian libraries). 3 vols. Roma: Fratelli Palombi, 1958. (FHL book EUROPE 945 J5an, 1958; film 962678, item 1–2; computer number 26217.)
Italy has some organized historical and genealogical societies. Some of these societies maintain libraries and archives that collect valuable records. For more information, including addresses, see the “Societies” section of this outline.
Some archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit or use the records of an archive so that you can use your time more effectively. The Annuario delle biblioteche italiane, mentioned above, is a guide to Italian archives and libraries.
The Family History Library has copies of some Italian libraries’ published inventories and other guides, catalogs, directories, and inventories. To find them look in the Family History Library Catalog under:
Computers with modems can be useful tools for obtaining information from selected archives and libraries. In a way, computer networks themselves serve as a library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial on-line services help family history researchers:
You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Italy in many sources at local, provincial, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most information is available at no cost. Many sources on the Internet are in English and provide valuable information regarding research tips, letter-writing, addresses, archives, and so forth.
Addresses on the Internet change frequently. As of October 1998, the following sites were important gateways linking you to many more network
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.
Provincial Archives
Local Civil Offices [Comune]
Church Archives
Church Parish
Other Libraries
Historical and Genealogical Societies
Inventories, Registers, Catalogs
ITALY- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIESITALY, [PROVINCE]- ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES
Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards
and bulletin board sites:
Contains resources and references, a guide to stato civile, form letters, word lists, description of records, and so forth.
Contains the Italian Genealogy Homepage. Includes a large surname database.
Lists the following information about all Italian provincial archives: addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses (if one exists), hours, and services available. In Italian.
Provides links to hundreds of Italian genealogical sites.
Contains the unofficial “white pages” for Italy. Includes a business finder, people finder, e-mail addresses, and street addresses.
Contains the homepage of POINT (Pursuing Our Italian Names Together).
Contains a weekly posting of queries and answers from PIE (Pointers in E-mail).
Contains the homepage of the Italian news agency. In Italian.
Contains the homepage of the Italian Genealogy Group.
Contains Italian-American genealogy posted by the Italian-American Cultural Society.
Contains Anthony Cimorelli’s homepage, which includes every kind of help possible in Italian research through PIE (POINTERS in E-mail).
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]