Author: Melanie D. Holtz, CG

(1) In 1926, Mussolini replaced previously autonomous town mayors [Sindaco] with authoritarian officers appointed by the Fascist party. An officer of this type was called a PODESTA.'   (2) Beginning in 1927, the calendar number for the "Era Fascita" [Fascist Era] was added to the date which by 1927 was year V. The fascist years changed on 28 October marking the "Ma...

Ecclesiastical Marriage Record of Michele Novella and Clara Risso [Number] 7 7 July [1667]…marriage banns were posted on the 24th, 25th, and 26th of the previous month and no legitimate impediments were detected. I, Reverend Rector Pelosia, intend to unite in marriage Michele [Novella], son of the living Giuseppe Antonio Novella, and Clara [Risso], daughter of the living Pe...

Notarial records have the possibility of providing information on the ancestors you are researching that cannot be found in any other type of Italian document or historical resource. I once found an amazingly helpful property transfer that detailed three generations of a family and provided death dates and places for the initial couple on the deed. Since access to parish record...

There are three main categories of genealogical information: primary, secondary, and indeterminable. Primary information is information reported by an eyewitness to the event, either at the time of the event or many years later. Therefore, is a death record recorded four days later by two men who lived on the same street as the deceased primary information? I would say for ...

Don’t miss the opportunity for a free, 15-minute consultation at the The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)’s 41st Anniversary Gala Weekend next month at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Lo Schiavo Genealogica will be available to answer your questions on Italian genealogy or Italian-American dual citizenship. Come speak with us at the Exp...

Lo Schiavo Genealogica is excited to attend The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)’s 41st Anniversary Gala Weekend next month in Washington, D.C.!! During the ExpoItaliana (to be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016), we'll be available to answer questions regarding Italian genealogy, dual citizenship, and ancestral tours! The ExpoItaliana is open for anyone to attend so...

Many of Italy's provincial archives have YouTube videos on the internet which can give you a unique glimpse into their archives and a view of the materials not often seen by the average researcher. Below are links to a few videos that I thought you would find interesting. Archivio di Stato di Napoli Archivio di Stato di Bari Archivio di Stato di Palermo Archivio di ...

Are you going to The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)’s 41st Anniversary Gala Weekend, to be held next month at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.? Want to learn more about Italian genealogy, dual citizenship, and ancestral tours? Come visit Lo Schiavo Genealogica in the Expo Italiana on Saturday, October 15, 2016 (Exhibition Hall C). Sig...

The owner of Lo Schiavo Genealogica, Melanie D. Holtz, will be teaching an intermediate Italian genealogy course for the Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research this October.  See the link below for more information. Italian Genealogical Evidence Practicum Come join us, as we are going to have a great time learning about researching our Italian ancestry! If you are una...

The article at the link below describes some of the records of genealogical interest that were destroyed by Italy's recent earthquake. La mappa della basiliche e chiese devastate