Guide to Genealogical Research in Basilicata: Archives, Historical Borders, Province Changes and Territorial Changes
Genealogical research in Basilicata (historically known as Lucania) fits within the administrative context of the Kingdom of Naples and, later, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. To correctly reconstruct your family history through birth, marriage and death records, it is essential to understand the Bourbon territorial division into districts and circondari, as well as the subsequent establishment of the province of Matera in 1927 and the changes in place names and territory that occurred during the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Napoleonic and Murattian Civil Status (1809–1815): Introduced during the French decade in the Kingdom of Naples. Birth, marriage and death registers were drawn up uniformly across all municipalities of Basilicata.
- Bourbon Civil Status (1809–1865): Drawn up in duplicate in the municipalities of the Province of Basilicata. One copy remained at the municipal archive or magistrate's court, the other was sent to the competent Court. Today much of this documentation is held in the State Archives.
- Italian Civil Status (from 1866): Officially introduced following the Unification of Italy starting on 1 January 1866, with registers drawn up in two annual copies at the civil status offices of the municipalities.
- 1927 Provincial Reorganization: Under Royal Decree no. 1 of 2 January 1927, the original Province of Basilicata was divided into two separate provinces: Potenza (provincial capital) and the newly created Province of Matera.
- Parish and Diocesan Sources: Baptism, marriage and burial registers held at individual parishes and in the Diocesan Historical Archives (such as Potenza-Muro Lucano, Matera-Irsina, Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa, Tursi-Lagonegro, Tricarico, Acerenza).
THE PROVINCES OF BASILICATA AND THEIR CHANGES
1. Province of Potenza
The Province of Potenza covers the western, mountainous part of the region. The State Archive of Potenza holds the Bourbon civil status collections, court registers, military conscription lists and historical land registers of the municipalities in the Potenza area.
Current Municipalities of the Province of Potenza (100):
Abriola, Acerenza, Albano di Lucania, Anzi, Armento, Atella, Avigliano, Balvano, Banzi, Barile, Bella, Brienza, Brindisi di Montagna, Calvello, Calvera, Campomaggiore, Cancellara, Carbone, Castelgrande, Castelluccio Inferiore, Castelluccio Superiore, Castelmezzano, Castelsaraceno, Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea, Cersosimo, Chiaromonte, Corleto Perticara, Episcopia, Fardella, Filiano, Gallicchio, Genzano di Lucania, Ginestra, Grumento Nova, Guardia Perticara, Lagonegro, Latronico, Laurenzana, Lauria, Lavello, Maratea, Marsico Nuovo, Marsicovetere, Maschito, Melfi, Missanello, Moliterno, Montemilone, Montemurro, Muro Lucano, Nemoli, Noepoli, Oppido Lucano, Palazzo San Gervasio, Paterno, Pescopagano, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pietrapertosa, Pignola, Potenza, Rapone, Rionero in Vulture, Ripacandida, Rivello, Roccanova, Rotonda, Ruoti, Ruvo del Monte, San Chirico Nuovo, San Chirico Raparo, San Costantino Albanese, San Fele, San Martino d'Agri, San Paolo Albanese, San Severino Lucano, Sant'Angelo Le Fratte, Sant'Arcangelo, Sarconi, Sasso di Castalda, Satriano di Lucania, Savoia di Lucania, Senise, Spinoso, Teana, Terranova di Pollino, Tito, Tolve, Tramutola, Trecchina, Trivigno, Vaglio Basilicata, Venosa, Vietri di Potenza, Viggianello, Viggiano.
Territorial Changes, Former Municipalities and Official Gazette References:
- Rionero in Vulture (Separation from Atella): Established as an independent municipality after separating from Atella in the 19th century.
- Grumento Nova (formerly Saponara): Originally named Saponara (or Saponara di Grumento), it changed its name to Grumento Nova under Royal Decree no. 802 of 26 June 1932 (Official Gazette no. 159 of 12/07/1932).
- Savoia di Lucania (formerly Pertosa): Originally known as Pertosa, it took the name Savoia di Lucania in honor of the royal house under Royal Decree no. 611 of 14 October 1893.
- Vaglio Basilicata (formerly Vaglio): Took the additional name Basilicata under Royal Decree no. 81 of 22 January 1933.
2. Province of Matera
The Province of Matera was established in 1927 by splitting the eastern, Ionian territory off from the former unified Province of Basilicata. Civil status and conscription archival documentation is held at the State Archive of Matera.
Current Municipalities of the Province of Matera (31):
Accettura, Aliano, Bernalda, Calciano, Cirigliano, Colobraro, Craco, Ferrandina, Garaguso, Gorgoglione, Grassano, Grottole, Irsina, Matera, Miglionico, Montalbano Jonico, Montescaglioso, Nova Siri, Oliveto Lucano, Pisticci, Policoro, Pomarico, Rotondella, Salandra, San Mauro Forte, Scanzano Jonico, Stigliano, Tricarico, Tursi, Valsinni.
Territorial Changes, Former Municipalities and Official Gazette References:
- Establishment of the Province of Matera (1927): Created by Royal Decree no. 1 of 2 January 1927 (published in Official Gazette no. 7 of 11/01/1927), separating the circondari of Matera and Tricarico from the province of Potenza.
- Policoro (Separation from Pisticci / Land Reclamation): Founded as a land-reform settlement of the Ente Delta, it became an independent municipality by separating from the municipality of Pisticci under Presidential Decree no. 427 of 15 May 1959 (Official Gazette no. 142 of 17/06/1959). Earlier records are found in the registers of Pisticci.
- Scanzano Jonico (Separation from Pisticci): Became an independent municipality by separating from Pisticci under a Regional Law / legislative decree in 1974 (Official Gazette no. 104 of 19/04/1974).
- Irsina (formerly Montepeloso): Historically named Montepeloso, it changed its name to Irsina under Royal Decree no. 32 of 22 January 1895 (Official Gazette no. 33 of 08/02/1895).
- Nova Siri (formerly Bollita): Named Bollita until 1926, it changed its name to Nova Siri under Royal Decree no. 1388 of 19 July 1926 (Official Gazette no. 179 of 04/08/1926).
- Valsinni (formerly Favale): Named Favale (or Favale di Basilicata) until 1940, it took the name Valsinni under Royal Decree no. 1432 of 22 August 1940 (Official Gazette no. 235 of 07/10/1940).
Summary Table of Territorial Changes, Province Changes and Decrees in Basilicata
| Province | Type of Change | Current Municipality | Former Municipality / Territory Involved | Year | Legal Reference | Archival Notes for Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matera | Establishment of Province | Matera (Provincial Capital) | Circondario of Matera and Tricarico split from Potenza | 1927 | R.D. 02/01/1927, no. 1 (Official Gazette no. 7/1927) | State Archive of Matera for post-1927 collections and magistrate's courts |
| Matera | Municipal Independence | Policoro | Area separated from the municipality of Pisticci | 1959 | Presidential Decree 15/05/1959, no. 427 (Official Gazette no. 142/1959) | Records before 1959 held in the municipality of Pisticci |
| Matera | Municipal Independence | Scanzano Jonico | Area separated from the municipality of Pisticci | 1974 | Founding law / Presidential Decree (Official Gazette no. 104/1974) | Civil status registers before 1974 held in Pisticci |
| Matera | Name Change | Irsina | Montepeloso | 1895 | R.D. 22/01/1895, no. 32 (Official Gazette no. 33/1895) | Records filed under the name Montepeloso until 1895 |
| Matera | Name Change | Nova Siri | Bollita | 1926 | R.D. 19/07/1926, no. 1388 (Official Gazette no. 179/1926) | Historical documents bear the name Bollita until 1926 |
| Matera | Name Change | Valsinni | Favale (or Favale di Basilicata) | 1940 | R.D. 22/08/1940, no. 1432 (Official Gazette no. 235/1940) | Records indexed as Favale until the year 1940 |
| Potenza | Name Change | Grumento Nova | Saponara (or Saponara di Grumento) | 1932 | R.D. 26/06/1932, no. 802 (Official Gazette no. 159/1932) | Records before 1932 registered under Saponara |
| Potenza | Name Change | Savoia di Lucania | Pertosa | 1893 | R.D. 14/10/1893, no. 611 | Historical records before 1893 registered as Pertosa |