RESEARCH OUTLINE Italy CONTENTS HELPS FOR USING THIS RESEARCH OUTLINE Introduction ............................. 1 Helps for Using This Research Outline ........ 1 Before using this outline you need to choose the Italian Search Strategies.................... 2 information you would like to learn about one of Records at the Family History Library™ ....... 5 ® your ancestors, such as a birth date or a maiden FamilySearch ........................... 5 name. Maps of Italy..................... centerfold Records Selection Table ................... 7 Archives and Libraries..................... 8 After you have decided what information you want Biography ............................. 10 to find, look at the “Record Selection Table” in Census................................ 10 this outline. It lists the kinds of information you Church Directories....................... 11 may want and the best types of records for finding Church History ......................... 11 that information. Church Records......................... 12 Civil Registration........................ 15 There is a section in the outline for each type of Court Records .......................... 24 record listed in columns 2 and 3 of the “Record Directories............................. 24 Selection Table.” The sections give more Emigration and Immigration............... 24 information about these records and how to find Gazetteers ............................. 26 them. The sections are in alphabetical order. Genealogy ............................. 27 Heraldry............................... 29 References to the Family History Library Historical Geography..................... 29 Catalog™ History................................ 30 Jewish History.......................... 31 The Family History Library Catalog™ is a listing of Jewish Records ......................... 31 all the records available at the Family History Language and Languages ................. 32 Library™. The catalog is available at the Family Maps ................................. 32 History Library and at each Family History Military Records ........................ 34 Center™. Staff there can help you learn to use the Minorities .............................. 35 catalog. Names, Personal ........................ 35 Nobility ............................... 36 This outline gives instructions for finding Notarial Records ........................ 37 information in the catalog. For example, in the Periodicals............................. 37 section of this outline called “Census” you may Probate Records......................... 38 find the following statement: Schools ................................ 38 Social Life and Customs .................. 38 Societies............................... 38 Other Records .......................... 39 For more information about census records, For Further Reading...................... 40 look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog™ under: INTRODUCTION ITALY - CENSUS ITALY, [PROVINCE] - CENSUS This outline can help you find information about people who lived in Italy. It gives information about records of genealogical value for Italy and This tells you to look in the catalog under: helps you decide which types of records to search. • Italy and then the subject CENSUS. • A province in Italy and then the subject CENSUS. • A town in a province in Italy and then the subject CENSUS. This outline includes many references to specific Next, decide what you want to learn about your records. The references include call numbers and ancestor, such as where and when he or she was computer numbers and are listed in parenthesis. married, or the names of his parents. You may want to ask an experienced researcher or a • Call Numbers. The call number is used to find librarian to help you select a goal that you can a record in the Family History Library (FHL). successfully achieve. • Computer Numbers. Each record is assigned a Step 3. Select a Record to Search number to identify it in the catalog. If you are using the Family History Library Catalog on Read this outline to learn about the types of computer or compact disc, you can search for records used for Italian research. To trace your the record by the computer number. This is the family, you may need to use some of the records quickest way to find the listing of the record in described in each section. Several factors can the catalog. affect your choice of which records to search. This outline provides information to help you evaluate For additional information on using the catalog, see the contents, availability, ease of use, time period Using the Family History Library Catalog™ covered, and reliability of the records, as well as (30966). the likelihood that your ancestor will be listed. The Records Selection Table can also help you decide References to Other Family History Library which records to search. Publications Effective researchers begin by obtaining some The Family History Library has many other background information. Then they survey publications which may be helpful to you in your previous research. Finally, they search original research. Some are referred to in this outline. Their documents. titles are in italics and their item numbers are in parenthesis. They are available at the Family Background Information Sources. You may need History Library and the Salt Lake City Distribution some geographical and historical information. This Center. can save you time and effort by helping you focus your research in the correct place and time period. ITALIAN SEARCH STRATEGIES • Locate the town or place of residence. Examine maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids Step 1. Identify What You Know about Your to learn as much as you can about each of the Family places where your ancestors lived. Identify the major migration routes, nearby cities, Begin your research with family and home sources. provincial boundaries, other geographical Look for names, dates, and places in certificates, features, and government or ecclesiastical family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar jurisdictions. Place-finding aids are described sources. Ask your relatives for any additional in the “Maps,” “Gazetteers,” and “History” information they may have. It’s very likely that sections of this outline. your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information. Organize the • Review local history. You will need to information you find and record it on pedigree understand Italy’s history because it has greatly charts and family group record forms. affected the development of records of genealogical value. If possible, study a history Step 2. Decide What You Want to Learn of the areas where your ancestors lived. Look for clues about the people, places, religions, Select a specific relative or ancestor, born in Italy and events that may have affected their lives for whom you know at least a name, the town or and the records about them. Records with parish where he or she lived in Italy, and an information about migration and settlement approximate date when he or she lived there. It’s patterns, government jurisdictions, and very helpful to also know their religion and the historical events are described in the “Church names of other family members born in Italy. History,” “History,” “Gazetteers,” and “Minorities,” sections of this outline. If you don’t have enough information on your Italian ancestor, review the sources mentioned in • Learn about Italian jurisdictions. You will step one which may give his birthplace or need to know about how Italy is divided into residence. For suggestions on how to find the name provinces [province], municipalities [comuni], of his birthplace, see the “Emigration and and hamlets [frazioni]. See the “Historical Immigration” section of this outline. Geography” section of this outline. 2 • Use language helps. The records and histories • Each place where your ancestor lived. of Italian places will usually be written in Italian or Latin. You do not need to speak or • Each parish of your ancestor’s religion in each read Italian to search the records, but you will place of residence. need to learn some key words and phrases. Some helpful sources are described in the • The time period when he or she lived there. “Language and Languages” section of this outline. • All jurisdictions that may have kept records about him (town, parish, and province). • Understand naming patterns. Many families in Italy followed distinct naming patterns. Many types of original documents are described in Understanding these customs can help you this outline. For genealogical research in Italy most locate missing ancestors. See the “Names, family information is found in the records Personal” section of this outline for more described under: information. • Civil Registration [Registri dello stato civile]. • Understand local customs. Local customs may have affected the way individuals were • Church Records [Registri ecclesiastici]. recorded in the records. Illegitimacy, marital customs, and local conditions are discussed in For each record type, the paragraph heading used the “Social Life and Customs” section of this in this outline is the same as the heading used in paper. the Family History Library Catalog. Previous Research Sources. Most genealogists do Step 4. Obtain and Search the Record a survey of research previously done by others. This can save time and give you valuable Suggestions for Obtaining Records. You may be information. There are few sources of previous able to obtain the records you