Trace your ancestors back to the patria with this complete guide to finding your Italian heritage.
Say ciao to your Italian ancestors! This step-by-step guide will walk you through each phase of Italian genealogy research, from learning about Italian-American culture and identifying an immigrant ancestor to combing through Italian-language church records and planning a research trip to the Old World. You will learn how to use immigration, vital (birth, marriage and death), land and census records to determine your ancestor’s name and hometown, then trace your ancestors back to the lands of today’s Italy. The book also features appendices designed to help you connect with archives in the old country, with a template for writing letters and tips for contacting archives. You can also use the book’s worksheets to preserve and document your research as you go. This how-to guide also contains annotated sample records to help you read Italian records, plus lists of other online and print resources and information on Italian language, history and geography. AUTHOR: Melanie D. Holtz is a writer and professional genealogist specializing in Italian genealogy. Her research firm, Lo Schiavo Genealogica, helps genealogists research their Italian ancestry in both the United States and Europe. 60 B/W photographs