Finding the Link to Italy

First try looking for *other* relatives at the Ellis Island Records website. I didn't find out where my great grandmother came from until I looked up her sister. Even then, it took some time with a map and magnifying glass to figure out that Banco, the name taken down by the ship’s personnel, was in reality Bonea. Remember, even if you do get promising results from a website, or even from an official document, it is best to double-check the information by confirming it in another source.

Genealogy usually isn’t a quick process, even in this Information Age. Take a step backwards before you start your search. Take stock of what you know… and write it all down. Make a note of things like birth dates, death dates, former addresses, places of employment, hobbies, friends, children- anything and everything you can think of. You never know what piece of information might trigger a memory or lead you to important documents. This is also the time to sketch out a rough copy of your family tree.

When you’re done, start your search with the generation closest to yours. Did your relative have children born in the United States? If so, check their birth certificates. The information you will find in birth certificates varies according to time and place, but you might strike gold. For example, my grandmother's birth certificate told me the age and occupation of my great-grandfather. The birth certificate also offered a skewered spelling of my great-grandmother’s maiden name, the number of children the couple already had, and how many of those were still living.

You can find the birth certificates of your relatives children in the town they were born in. Call up the town office or city hall to learn how to obtain them. If your ancestor's children were born in a small town, you might be able to get the information over the phone. Even if you have to make a request in writing, finding birth certificates can be easier than accessing other genealogical records.

If any of those children are still around today, give them a call. They will most likely know more than you do about your relative. You’ll hear some interesting stories, too. Through talking with a great-aunt, I learned that my great-grandmother had been a picture bride. That sort of story isn’t the kind to be found in city or church records.

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