Michael Cestaro asked:


Researching Your Family History in Italy: Genealogy 101

By: Michael Cestaro*

 For most Americans of Italian descent, obtaining information about their ancestors can be quite daunting or seem even impossible when they have to reach past Ellis Island and start poking around in Italy.  But truth be told, in most situations, a researcher armed with correct data and a bit of patience, can gain access to an abundance of information that can provide great insight into his family history. 

 Provided that a researcher has the correct spelling of his ancestor’s name and the date and place where the event (i.e., birth, marriage or death) took place, it is possible to obtain copies of documents that are well over a 100 years old.  In a rather ironic way, it is Italy’s history of bureaucracy and the Italian government’s obsession with forms and details that can come back to benefit the individual who is searching his Italian roots tenfold. 

 Generally speaking, most Italian documents that recorded a birth, marriage or death around and prior to the turn of the century, did so in a very formalistic way.  The end result of this method was an inclusion of useful details such as maiden names, street addresses, witnesses to the event, occupations of the parties, and the names of those present at the recording of the event (including even the mayor and town officials) in the document.  In addition, other details, such as whether the parties were capable of reading and writing, were sometimes hand-written onto the documents.  For the individual searching his family history, access to all of this type of information can be like winning the genealogical jackpot.

 So exactly where are these documents kept and what information does a researcher need?

 Italian birth, marriage and death certificates are kept on file at the Office of Vital Statistics of the comune or town where the event occurs. When a document is requested, it is normally provided in an estratto per riassunto form, which is an extract of the most relevant information recorded at the comune.  For those interested in merely obtaining dual citizenship, this is the form that most consulates will require as part of their application process.          

 For somebody doing genealogical research, however, the better form is the copia integrale.  Unlike the estratto, the copia integrale includes the many invaluable details in which the genealogical researcher would most probably be interested.  It is important to note that under Italian law, a copia integrale is only available if the event occurred more than 75 years ago.

 Beyond birth, marriage and death certificates, military records can be fertile ground for genealogical exploration.  Italian military records, for the most part, are kept in provincial archives, unlike birth, marriage and death certificates, which are stored at the local level.   If an individual’s ancestor served in the military, conscription and service records are likely to include information such as his physical description, town of residence, parents’ names, profession and educational level, as well as a chronological history of service from conscription to discharge.

 Once an individual has conquered the task of obtaining his ancestor’s document, the next hurdle may be deciphering the handwriting on the document.  Because these documents may predate the invention of the typewriter or were prepared in a town that did not have a typewriter at the time (yes, there was a time when a manual typewriter was considered cutting edge technology), reading the handwriting on the document may present its own challenge.  Still, with a bit of effort and the use of a computer’s zoom function, even this obstacle can be overcome.

 For those seriously thinking of looking into their family history or who are at the point in their research where they must now search in Italy, a basic understanding of the types of documents that are available and where they are stored is essential.   Genealogical research into one’s family history can be a fun hobby that may be challenging at times, but is undeniably rewarding on so many levels and for a variety of reasons. 

 *Michael Cestaro is the President and CEO of Your Italian Heritage, LLC.  You can learn more about the company and its services by visiting www.youritalianheritage.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Tracy

Melanie Walters asked:


How do you determine which type of family tree you want before you begin researching? Everyone putting together a family tree is faced with certain choices. Who to include in the family tree? How am I going to build my Family Tree? These are all important questions that will determine the type of family tree you decide to build. Visit www.obituarieshelp.org to download a free printable family tree template chart so you can get started right now.

When you are researching your family tree, you may just start out by finding out about grandparents and great grandparents but to find out who they really were and to find out those little, but important facts, you might want to consider broadening your research. There are several ways that you can do that, and below you’ll find out about all the different family tree models that you can follow.

What is a family tree chart?

A family tree by definition is a diagram of a family’s ancestry. So in essence it is a map or chart showing the members of a family, their relationship to one another and even the dates of birth, marriage and death. But a family tree is so much more than that. Or it can be. A family tree, depending on the type of tree you choose to create could include all the relatives, spouses and even friends and neighbors of a family.

The types of Family Tree Charts

Mapping out your family tree is a time consuming activity that involves close attention to detail and a desire to find the answers to those burning questions of who am I? And where did I come from? Before you begin, you need to know that not all family trees are made the same.

Pedigree, Direct Lineage or Ascendant Family Tree Chart

The Pedigree Family Tree Chart is sometimes called a Direct Lineage or Ascendant Family Tree. This is perhaps the most common type of family tree and the one most people think of when referring to family trees. The pedigree family tree begins with you (or a parent, or grandparent) and then follows a single bloodline or family name back through the generations as far back as you can go.

If you are researching your pedigree with both your mother’s and your father’s bloodline, your pedigree chart would start with you, then your parents would be listed, then both sets of grand parents would come next, then all four sets of great grand parents and so on.

If you are researching your father’s surname and bloodline, the pedigree chart starts with you, then next on the chart would be your parents, then your father’s parents, then your grandfather’s parents and so on.

In any case, the pedigree family tree chart is the most common and is an excellent starting point for budding genealogists and for anyone interested in tracing their family history and their direct bloodline.

Descendant Family Tree Chart

A Descendant Family Tree Chart is the opposite of the Pedigree Family Tree Chart. This type of family tree chart starts with an ancestral couple pretty far back in the family history and then lists the descendants of that ancestral couple generation by generation until the present. Usually the Descendant Family Tree Chart is created after the Pedigree Family Tree Chart is complete as a way to illustrate all known descendants of all lines of the family. The Descendant Family Tree Chart can then become the outline for writing the family history.

Family Lineage Family Tree Chart

The family lineage family tree chart is similar to the pedigree family tree chart but for one difference. In a family lineage family tree chart, you would include the siblings of your direct lineage or pedigree. So you would include your aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles and so on. This gives a more complete picture of the family rather than just focusing on your direct bloodline.

Family lineage family tree charts are very helpful in identifying your family members and helps to keep all your ancestors organized. It also is an excellent way to find out about relationships between members of your pedigree and their siblings which can lead to you finding out more interesting facts about your family.

Where to Start?

If you are just starting your genealogy search you might consider developing a Pedigree Family Tree Chart before you get too deep into your research. One problem that novice genealogists encounter is they get excited about the research and end up losing track of who and what they are researching. Although the research always turns up interesting facts and stories, you might get frustrated that you wasted time or didn’t get to the ancestors you had hoped to find in the time you allotted for research. If you keep track of names, dates and places of your direct family line on a Pedigree Family Tree Chart, you are less likely to get confused and go off on searches you don’t need to do.

Free Printable Family Tree Charts

Get started right away by downloading a Free Printable Family Tree Chart from www.obituarieshelp.org. Then begin by filling in all the information you already know like your name, your parent’s names, your grandparent’s names and so on. Now you have the beginning of an excellent Pedigree Family Tree Chart and a guide for your research. Your first research step after filling out the Pedigree Family Tree Chart as much as you can, is to interview your parents and grandparents if possible and don’t forget that aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings are a good source of information too. Good luck and have fun!



Karl