Italian Records

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. Understanding Italy's Regions, Provinces and Towns. - This info is for you if you want to know - What is a Comune?,  what is a Provincia?, what is a Regione?  Letter which can be used to write to possible relatives in Italy - In Italian & English and includes the Italian Names for Grandparents.

Writing to Italy:

Where to Write for What:
Comune Archives =  L'Ufficiale Di Anagrafe 

Vital Records (Stato Civile) Certificate of residency (Certificato di Residenza) Certificate of Family Status (Certificato di Stato di Famiglia Originaria)

State Archives =  Archivio di Stato di _________ ( Name of Province)

Vital Records (Stato Civile) Registers of the Offices of Conscription (Registri degli Uffici di Leva) Notarial Records (Minute, Attie, Bastardelli, Notarili) Censuses (Censimenti) Tax Assessment Records or Lists (Catasti) Registers of Emigration and Passports (Registri dell'Emigrazione e Passaporti)

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

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:
Officio di stato civile - Civil Vital Records Office - which contains two records classifications:

anagrafe - concerned with current living residents. ufficio di statto civile - concerned with records of all persons - born, married, died, within the comune (ie 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 Commune 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.

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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.

Conscription Records:
Conscription began in 1865 for all males age 18 in some parts, however 1873 for most parts.

Includes all males born 1855 to present. Referred to as "registro di leva" (conscription records)

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 name Commune of residence Birth date Commune 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