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Record Requests

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Record Types

Many record types are used in genealogy research. In Italy, the most commonly used resources are found in churches and town halls.​ Church records provide invaluable information from the late 1500s (the Council of Trent) until the late 1800s (the Unification of Italy).

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From 1871 to the present, biographical information is mostly obtainable from the civil records offices of the ancestor's town of birth. 

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Military records can be useful for obtaining biographical data for Italian males born after 1855 when only the province and approximate year of birth are known. 

Civil Registration

  • Birth

  • Marriage

  • Death

  • Historical State of the Family (Stato Storico della Famiglia)

Parish Records

  • Baptismal

  • Marriage

  • Death

  • Church Census Records (Stato delle Anime)

Military

  • Enlistment

  • Conscription

  • Service

  • Discharge Papers

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Repositories

A repository is where records are kept. For ecclesiastical records, this is typically in the records office of the  local parish or in a central diocesan archive. Civil records are kept with the town hall and copies are sent to the state archives after a determined number of years.

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For remote access to digital records, the most comprehensive databases for Italian records are provided through  Ancestry. com, FamilySearch.org, and Italy's Antenati website.

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Unfortunately, only a relatively small number of civil records are currently available on-line for central  and northern Italy.

On Site

  • Local municipalities

  • State archives

  • Parish archives

  • Diocesan archives

Expertise

Since I am based in the cities of Florence and Lucca, I conduct most of my work in the region of Tuscany.

 

When records cannot be obtained online or by written request, it is often necessary to travel to one or more repositories to conduct research onsite.

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Onsite research can yield exciting results in terms of the types of records available and by gaining access to the historical context of the place itself.

Tuscany, Italy

Geographic Area of Specialization

Time Periods of Focus

18th, 19th, 20th Century 

Languages (Written and spoken)

English/Italian - Bilingual

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