Kinghorn and Evans Family Genealogy
Alberta Family Histories Society
Genealogical Lesson - Beginning Research for Italian Researchers
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Introduction:
Genealogy research is "a record or account of the ancestry and
descendants of a person, family or group. It is the study of family
history or descent from an original progenitor or lineage". This
is the key "originator". In genealogy research what we usually
want is to work back in time from what we know, to what we do not know,
to our original progenitor.
For you, it might be simply organizing a family tree, who married your
great grandfather, what great grandma's maiden name was, or more complex,
such as an adoption in Italy at age nine, or a "need to know situation"
for medical reasons or you may have decided to write a family history
book. The methodology or principles are the same in any case. You want
to compile the most accurate records possible and then organize them
so they are easily accessible and readily understood.
You have likely heard about all kinds of different step programs
for anything from losing weight to getting your life in order. But this
is a 4 STEP program for finding your Italian ancestors.
Steps 1: Access Family Records for Information
Start your research by identifying what you already know about your
family (mom's birthday, anniversaries, etc.). Then begin to seek out
information from your immediate family members and relatives. "Aunt
Sofia" who never married might be a wealth of information because
she didn't have any children and kept track of special nieces, nephews
and cousins. Look at family bibles, old diaries, religious "in
memory" prayer cards, ship or other certificates and newspaper
clippings.
Ask relatives who the individuals are in the old photo collection and
"listen" for important clues in what they have to say. There
might also be immigration cards, letters from Italy or postcards in
an old trunk in somebody's attic. Be "nosey"! Compile the
information on a "Pedigree
Chart" beginning with yourself as number 1.
Step 2: Determine Location
Location, location, location! You will have to find out where the family
resided before and after immigration from Italy to the United States,
Canada or other destinations. You will need a full name, approximate
year of birth and an immigration date that may be found in North American
census material. Also, with immigration names were often changed to
accommodate American cultural norms and pronunciation.
Step 3: Access Vital and Church Records
Compiled records of death, marriage and births (in that order - begin
with death) from Italian archives and churches will help substantiate
the oral and written information you have collected from family members.
Be alert to the fact someone else in the family may have already begun
collecting information and may have important documents you can access
too.
Sample Italian Archives Address:
Archivio Di Stato Di Isernia
Dir. Luigina Tiberio
Via L. Testa, 27
86170 Isernia - Italia
Civil records date back to 1804 and most are available from the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), at Family
History Centers across North America. Films from the main LDS library
in Salt Lake City can be ordered from your LDS Family History Center.
Prior to 1804 you will have to rely on Parish records. Write letters
to the village priest, relatives that remained in Italy or villagers
who share your surname. The LDS is currently photocopying many church
records with permission of the Catholic Church in Rome.
Sample address:
Curia Vescovile
Diocese di Isernia
Piazza A. D'Isernia 2
86170 Isernia, Italy
Step 3: Italian Census Records
"Status Animarum" were taken every year, even before 1820
in some parishes in the north and a few in the south. Check the FHL
catalog or the local parishes. Trafford Cole says that if you are lucky
enough to access them, they are great sources of information that give
names, ages, and relationships.
Step 4: Compile Information
Your information should be compiled on group
sheets (pdf) and a pedigree chart beginning with you as number 1.
There is a wide variety of genealogy software available for computers.
Personal Ancestry File (PAF), Family Tree Maker, Brother's Keeper, Master
Genealogist, Family Origins, Ancestral Quest and Family Roots are a
few. Get software that meets your requirements. The Alberta Family Histories
Society (AFHS) has a Computer SIG and it is recommended that if you
are having problems deciding what program you would like to use, attend
their meetings or their annual "GENSOFT" display of software
designed specifically for genealogy use. You can also check the internet:
www.mumford.ca/reportcard/
that gives an overview of genealogical software that is available.
Conclusion:
The most important thing about genealogy is to start. Relatives
well versed in family lore "pass on" and their memories die
with them. Genealogy research is a most gratifying hobby and a "never
ending story". Not only do you meet new people through networking,
but genealogy motivates travel, historical study and broadens your outlook.
You never know what you're going to find in a family tree. So get started,
use indexes to save research time, and always site your sources.
Bibliography:
Nelson, Lynn. A genealogist's guide to discovering your Italian
ancestors. Cincinnati, Ohio: Betterway Books: 1997
Cole, Trafford R. Italian Genealogical Records: How to use Italian
Civil, Ecclesiastical, and Other Records in Family History Research.
Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry Incorporated, 1995.
Fanella, Antonella. With Heart and Soul: Calgary's Italian Community.
Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press, 1999.
Internet: Alberta Family Histories
Society
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