Italian Genealogy

Vital records aren't the only clues we have to our ancestor's past. We might be able to see when our relative was married, but what did the bride wear? The following series of articles will attempt to illustrate other possible avenues for the genealogist.

The Catholic Church has, throughout history, been an important institution in the lives of Italians. Learn what vital records are available from your ancestor's church and how to obtain them.

This week I offer an article describing some of the Italian traditions preserved in my own family, as well as a recipe for ravioli. Making fresh pasta is a great thing for the kids to do on their Christmas break!

I've translated my grandmother's baptism record, line by line, with commentary. Hopefully this will help you decipher some of those Latin documents you've found.

This is part two of the series in reading Latin documents. Since verbs are complicated, this article focuses on how to find Latin verbs in the dictionary after you've picked them from your document.

This is the first part of a three part series on translating Latin documents. Part II will cover verbs. The final article will show how to sort out the nouns and verbs in a real vital document, in order to come up with a readable English document.

Having trouble thinking of the perfect gift for your great-aunt? Gifts related to your family's history are both unique and happily received.

Italian military records can be a great resource, especially if you are still searching for your ancestor's hometown. You'll also learn your ancestor's profession, education, physical characteristics, as well as his parent's names.

Even if your ancestor was born in Italy, he might have US military records. Learn what these can teach you about your relative.

Sometimes I get so sick of waiting for documents to arrive in the mail that I start planning trips to pick them up in person. But is this a smart and effective thing to do?