Italy - Birth - 1809-1865

Birth Record: Civil registration
Beginning 1809, areas of Italy controlled by Napoleon, required civil registrars to keep birth records. Usually these records included more information than the church christening records that were kept during the same time.

What you are looking for Civil registers were the best source for determining when a person was born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian civil registry records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Baptism: Church records
Beginning about 1500, churches required their clergy to keep christening (or baptism) records. The records give the names of the parents and the child and include birth dates. Information found in a christening depends on how detailed the minister made his record.

What you are looking for Church baptism records were the best source for determining when a person was born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian church baptism records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Confirmation Record: Church records
The confirmation record gives the name of each child in a parish who participated in the confirmation. Usually just the names of the children are provided. In early church records, the children could be anywhere from 8 to 12, since the priest only performed confirmations every few years. In more recent records, confirmations are done each year for 13- and 14-year-olds.

What you are looking for Children were confirmed members of their church between the ages of 8 and 14. If the baptism records do not exist, confirmation records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Confirmation records may not give a birth or christening date, but sometimes they will give a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all confirmation records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Marriage Record: Civil registration
Beginning 1866 the government required civil registrars to keep marriage records. Usually these records included more information than the church marriage records that were kept during the same time.

What you are looking for Civil registry marriage records were the best source for determining when a person was born. They included everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the child being born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian civil registry marriage records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Marriage Record: Church records
The Italian Renaissance flourished during the first half of this period, and churches began keeping birth, marriage, and death records. Spain ruled most of Italy from 1559 until 1713, when the Treaty of Utrecht established the Austrian Hapsburgs as Italy's dominant power. Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France, drove the Austrian rulers from northern Italy in 1796, and by 1804, he ruled most of Italy, with one of the exceptions being Sicily. Parish records were not affected by this political turmoil, although the language of the records sometimes was. In 1806, Napoleon required that all communities and provinces under his rule to keep civil registration.

What you are looking for Most couples were married when they were in their twenties and thirties. Marriage records may not give a birth or baptism date, but they give the age of the bride and groom, making it possible to determine their approximate birth years.

Why go to the next record Not all parish marriage records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Marriage Banns: Civil registration
Beginning in 1809 in a large section of Italy, the government required civil registrars to keep marriage records and a record of the marriage banns. By 1866 civil registration was required nationally. Marriage banns often give the ages of the bride and groom which you can use when birth or baptism records are not available.

What you are looking for When marriage records do not exist, marriage banns are the best source for determining when a person was born. Marriage banns may not give a birth or baptism date, but they give the age of the bride and groom, making it possible to determine their approximate birth years.

Why go to the next record Not all parish marriage banns have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Marriage Banns: Church records
Beginning in about 1520, churches required their clergy to keep marriage records. Records of marriage banns were also kept. These records usually give the ages of the bride and groom. Use these records when birth and baptism records are not available.

What you are looking for When marriage records do not exist, marriage banns are the best source for determining when a person was born. Marriage banns may not give a birth or baptism date, but they give the age of the bride and groom, making it possible to determine their approximate birth years.

Why go to the next record Not all parish marriage banns have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Marriage Supplements: Civil registration
Beginning in 1809 in a large section of Italy, the government required civil registrars to keep marriage records. By 1866 civil registration was required nationally. When a marriage took place, the bride and groom were required to submit copies of their birth records and copies of death records, if their parents were deceased. Also included in these supplements were copies of the marriage banns and often a copy of the marriage record itself. Use these records to determine a birth date when the actual birth records are not available.

What you are looking for Civil registry marriage supplements were the next best source for determining when a person was born. They included everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the child being born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian civil registry marriage supplements have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Death Record: Civil registration
Beginning in 1809 in a large section of Italy, the government required civil registrars to keep death records. By 1866 civil registration was required nationwide. These records often give the age of the deceased, which you can use to determine a year of birth when birth and christening records are not available

What you are looking for Civil registry death records were the best source for determining when a person was born. They included everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the child being born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian civil registry death records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Burial Record: Church records
Beginning about 1520, churches required their clergy to keep death and burial records. The date of death and place of burial are included. The age of the deceased may be given and can be used when birth and christening records are not available.

What you are looking for When marriage banns do not exist, parish burial records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Burial records may not give a birth or baptism date, but they give a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all burial records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Census: Census
The parish priest was often required to collect taxes for the state from his parishioners. He recorded information about his parishioners and the tax in a set of volumes called "stato delle anime," meaning "state of the souls." Not all priests regularly kept the church censuses. Where they exist, the registers list all family members living in a household and their ages or birth dates. Where an age is given, use the record to estimate a person's birth date. They can also help identify all the members of a family and help determine where a family originated.

What you are looking for When burial records do not exist, census records are the best source for determining when a person was born. Census records may not give a birth or baptism date, but they give a person's age, making it possible to determine his or her approximate birth year.

Why go to the next record Not all census records have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Muster Rolls: Military records
District military records provide the date and place of birth of every male eligible to be drafted into the army. The names of the parents and their occupations may also be given. Conscription of all males at the age of eighteen was instituted in 1865.

What you are looking for Military muster rolls were the best source for determining when a person was born. They included everyone in the community and identified the complete name of the child being born.

Why go to the next record Not all of the Italian military muster rolls have been microfilmed, and the beginning date of these records varies from place to place.

Wiki articles describing online collections sre found at:


 * Italy, Mantova Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Collection)
 * Italy, Napoli, Ischia, Civil Registration, (FamilySearch Historical Records)