The Riveli

Riveli are a type of census taken by the church for the purpose of taxing property and animals. If you've ever worked with these records they are amongst the hardest Italian records to understand. They can reveal interesting and surprising things about our ancestors. Let's take a look at a record for Francesco Catanzaro from Termini Imerese, Italy.

This record was found in the 1815 Riveli for the city of Termini Imerese in the Palermo Province. This record set has an index in the beginning so I was able to see that there was a record for a "Capn." [capitano or captain] Francesco Catanzaro. However, these records were not numbered nor recorded alphabetically. They were recorded as the individuals presented themselves and Francesco appeared on 25 September 1815.

Sometimes the names (and ages) of whole family groups are included, other times just the name of the landowner or the head of the sharecropping family is given.

Abbreviations were often used in these records, making them more difficult to translate and evaluate. As you gain experience, you'll know to look for certain words. The name of the subject of the record is often found on top. In this record, we see that this Riveli entry was for land in the contrada [hamlet] of DoVarita.  Francesco Catanzaro did not own the land but was share cropping it.  The names of the landowners are given also.

The title "Capn.," given for Francesco Catanzaro in this record, was the first indication that this ancestor may have had military service.  Further research showed a nine year gap between the birth of his second child and the birth of his third, another indication that he was absent from this family unit. One small notation on a Riveli, led to this possible revelation about this ancestor.  You never quite know where you will find that golden nugget of information!

The Death Record of Saverio Arturi

Sometimes you come across the most interesting records when doing Italian research. Below is a link to the image of a death record of a Calabrian soldier "gunned down in the public piazza" in Isnello, Sicily in 1863.

1860-1870 was a time of much unrest in Italy and in Sicily, in particular. Italian soldiers were sent to quell the uprising of the Sicilian people against yet another ruler who made promises they did not keep. Some towns in Sicily have records that are missing during the 1860-1864 time frame.

Death Record of Saverio Arturi

Comuni-Italiani.it

This is a great place to find information on your ancestor's town of origin. You'll find links to town websites, addresses of civil record offices, street maps as well as satellite images of most towns amongst a host of other useful links.

This website is an extremely useful tool for the Italian researcher!

Digitization Project at the Archivio di Stato (Provincial Archives) di Cosenza

Not long ago the Cosenza provincial archives began a digitization project consisting of civil vital records as well as military conscription. It is an ongoing project, so watch for more records to be added in the coming months!

Portale della Storia degli Italiani Homepage

You will need to sign in initially. I have received no spam or otherwise intrusive computer issues from using this resource.

Happy researching!

Italian Genealogy

Italian-Americans have a unique and rich heritage. Now several generations past their immigrating ancestors, more and more of their history and culture is being lost. Many realize that they know little of where their ancestors came from, their hopes, their fears and the reasons for their departure.

As a researcher in Italian genealogy, I've found great satisfaction in reuniting Italian descendants with their ancestral heritage and culture. Italians and their descendants have played an integral role in all aspects of life here in the United States.

This blog will be a mix of genealogy, history and culture. But above all...it will be about all things Italian!