Italian

Between 1880 and 1920, more than 4 million Italians immigrated to America, the largest wave of immigrants from any particular country during a forty-year period. Interestingly, however, an estimated 30 to 50 percent of these immigrants eventually returned to their homeland. Nevertheless, Italians constitute the second largest immigrant group during the period since 1820. Although the first wave of Italian immigrants in the early nineteenth century settled primarily in Louisiana, subsequent generations of immigrants settled in New York and other large northern cities.

Contacts and Sources

Italian Genealogical Group
7 Grayon Drive
Dix Hills, New York 11746
Web site: http://www.italiangen.org
Monthly meetings, monthly newsletter, and an annual seminar.

POINT - Pursuing Our Italian Names Together
P.O. Box 2977
Palos Verdes, CA 90374
A network of those interested in Italian genealogy with a quarterly magazine.

The Italian Genealogical Society of America, Inc.
P.O. Box 8571
Cranston, R.I. 02920-8571
Six meetings per year plus a quarterly newsletter.

National Italian American Foundation
666 11th Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, DC 20077-0380

American Italian Historical Association
209 Flagg Place
Staten Island, New York 10304

Web Sites

In Helpful Web Sites, you can find links to useful resources about Italy.

Books

• Some Aspects of Italian Immigration to the United States, by Stella Antonio
• In Search of Your European Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in Every Country in Europe, by Angus Baxter
• Italian American Family Research, by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
• Italian Genealogical Records: How to Use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical, and Other Records in Family History Research, by Trafford Cole
• Finding Your Italian Roots: The Complete Guide for Americans, by John Philip Colletta
• Our Italian Surnames, by Joseph S. Fucilla
• Italian Family Research Made Simple, by J. Konrad
• Tracing Your Italian Heritage in Italy, by Dewayne J. Lener
• Italian Americans: New Perspectives in Italian Immigration and Ethnicity, edited by Lydio F. Tomasi

For some tips on researching abroad, see the topic All about international resources.

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