Frequently Asked Questions

Genealogical research is a historical-documentary investigation aimed at reconstructing a family's history through the consultation of civil, religious, and state archival sources. In addition to outlining the family tree with names, dates, and places of birth, marriage, and death, the research makes it possible to bring to light the professions practiced by ancestors, their movements, socio-economic conditions, and forgotten biographical events.

Conducting research independently is fascinating, but one quickly encounters technical complexities: reading ancient handwriting (paleography), translating parish records written in Latin, privacy restrictions, and the dispersion of documents across non-digitized archives. An expert knows the dynamics of accessing State, Diocesan, and Municipal Archives, guaranteeing data accuracy and optimizing time.

Yes. Before signing any contract or starting field research, we carry out a free preliminary study on the data and documents already in your possession. This allows us to check the presence of archives and transparently assess the real chances of success of the investigation.

In the case of archive gaps or historical destruction (fires, wars, disasters), research is redirected to parallel or substitute sources, such as notarial records, historical land registers, draft lists, or neighboring parishes. If the record cannot be retrieved due to an objective lack of sources, you will be provided with a detailed report on the searches performed, and the adjustment or refund conditions provided for in the contract will apply.

It is sufficient to start from what is known about your oldest known relative (usually a grandparent or great-grandparent):

• Full first and last name.
• Place and date (even approximate) of birth, marriage, or death.
• Any indications regarding profession, municipality of origin, or civil status.

We offer different types of genealogical investigation, customizable based on your goals, budget, and initial information available:

• Single individual research (Biographical): An investigation targeted at reconstructing the history of a single ancestor.
• Surname and Patrilineal Line Research (Agnatic): This is the classic research that follows the male line only (from father to father).
• Matrilineal Line Research (Cognatic): An investigation focused exclusively on the maternal line (from mother to mother).
• Bi-lineal Research (Paternal and Maternal Line): A balanced path that simultaneously reconstructs the two main branches of your family.
• Extended Research / Complete Tree (Multi-branch): The most in-depth and exhaustive solution. It reconstructs all lines of direct descent (360° paternal and maternal) going back through the centuries, including collateral branches (siblings, aunts/uncles, and cousins) where requested.

The Civil Status offices of the Municipalities keep birth, marriage, and death registers starting from the Unification of Italy (around 1866) or from the Napoleonic era. Through full official copies of the records, it is possible to discover precious details such as paternity and maternity, age of the parties, occupations, residence at the time, and even the ancestor's autograph signature or declaration of illiteracy.

Parish registers (Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths) represent the main source for pushing research beyond the 19th century, reaching back to the 16th century. States of Souls (Stati d'Anime) were actual parish censuses compiled by parish priests (often on the occasion of the Easter blessing or pastoral visits). They report the exact composition of households "by hearth" (house by house), indicating age, degree of kinship, profession, and even notes on religious conduct.

The military record sheet (foglio matricolare) is the military document drawn up during the draft call. Preserved in the State Archives in the funds of the Military Districts, this register describes in detail the ancestor's military career (particularly useful for World War combatants), including physical build, eye color, literacy level, trade, assigned units, war campaigns, wounds, decorations, or periods of captivity.

Yes. For ancestors taken into foundling hospitals (the so-called "espositi" or foundlings abandoned in the "wheel"), the archives of historical welfare institutions are consulted. The files contain delivery reports, details on clothing or "recognition signs" (broken medals, sacred images left by parents in the hope of a future reunion), and foster care or nursing contracts with peasant families.

Succession genealogical research is a technical-documentary investigation aimed at identifying and certifying the legitimate heirs of a deceased person. It comes into play in cases of intestate succession, unclaimed estates, or when it is necessary to reconstruct the family tree up to the 6th degree of kinship (the limit provided by Italian law for the devolution of assets before they pass to the State).

The service is structured into rigorous phases:

• Mapping of collateral branches: Systematic analysis of siblings, aunts/uncles, cousins, and their descendants;
• Verification of the absence of other entitled persons: Collection of official documents to certify with certainty who the only living heirs are;
• Drafting of the Evidentiary Dossier: Preparation of an expert report complete with kinship trees and certified full copies of Civil Status and Vital Records, ready for use in notary or court proceedings.

The Civil Code distinguishes kinship into two main types:

• Direct line: Connects people who descend directly from one another in a hierarchical scale (e.g. father and son, grandfather and grandchild);
• Collateral line (indirect): Connects people who, while sharing a common ancestor, do not descend from one another (e.g. brothers and sisters, aunts/uncles and nieces/nephews, cousins).

In estate investigations, one always starts from the figure of the de cuius (the deceased whose inheritance is in question) and analyzes the graphic diagram according to this convention:

• Horizontal lines: Indicate couple bonds (marriage, cohabitation) from which descent originates;
• Vertical or oblique lines: Indicate direct relationships of descent between parents and children;
• Terminal elements ("leaves"): Represent descendants who have no issue and close that specific branch of the tree.

Historical land registries allow family history to be contextualized from an economic and property perspective. By consulting these collections, it is possible to discover if the family owned houses, land, or shops, tracking the evolution of wealth or any traces of economic decline through property transfers and tax assessment changes.

In many cases, yes. By cross-referencing historical cadastral maps with ownership files and present-day street names, it is possible to identify the land plots or original building inhabited by ancestors, bridging a tangible gap between past and present.

Genealogical Tourism (also known as Roots Tourism) is an experiential journey designed for those who wish to rediscover places linked to their family history. Unlike traditional tourism, you don't just visit classic tourist stops: it is an immersion into the hamlets, streets, churches, and countryside where your ancestors lived, worked, celebrated their sacraments, and built their lives. It is the final bridge connecting documents found in archives to the physical reality of the places.

During a genealogical tour, archival discoveries transform into a field itinerary. Every trip is tailor-made, but usually includes:

• Reconstruction of family places: Identification of the birth house, lands, and period neighborhoods thanks to cross-referencing historical documents and land registries.
• Visit to symbolic buildings: Stops at churches where the ancestors' sacraments were celebrated, with a stop in front of baptismal fonts and visits to historical cemeteries.
• Access to historical archives: Browsing live, where possible, original parish or municipal registers to see autographs and signatures of ancestors.
• Immersion in the local community: Conversations with locals, meeting rediscovered relatives, and tasting traditional local peasant dishes.

After completing the documentary research, I can design a tailor-made historical itinerary for you:

• Mapping of symbolic places (birth house, baptism/marriage church, historical cemetery, owned lands).
• Prior contact with local entities (Municipalities, Parishes, local associations).
• Preparation of a travel dossier with historical maps and biographical information for each stop.

It is advisable to start planning 3 to 6 months in advance. This margin allows for completing the preparatory archival research, verifying accessibility of locations, making arrangements with local priests and mayors, and organizing every logistical detail.

Yes. I can provide on-site assistance or accompany you directly to the village of origin, helping you consult any local registers, converse with historical inhabitants of the village, and interpret places connected to your family memory.

Absolutely yes.

• It is not necessary to have precise data to start an investigation. A large part of emigration research starts from fragmented or approximate information.
• To trace the municipality of origin and the birth record of your ancestor, we apply a reverse investigative research method:
• Analysis of foreign sources: We examine documents produced in the arrival country (port landing lists, naturalization records, period censuses, local marriage or death records, military certificates). These documents often report the province, diocese, or original birthplace;
• Onomastic and surname study: We analyze the historical geographical distribution of the surname to narrow down the area of origin to specific hamlets or valleys;
• Map and Civil Status cross-referencing: Once the province or probable area is identified, we consult draft lists, military service rolls, and ten-year indexes in Italian State Archives.

In the case of archive gaps or historical destruction (fires, wars, disasters), research is redirected to parallel or substitute sources, such as notarial records, historical land registers, draft lists, or neighboring parishes. If the record cannot be retrieved due to an objective lack of sources, you will be provided with a detailed report on the searches performed, and the adjustment or refund conditions provided for in the contract will apply.

Times vary based on the response of individual municipal Civil Status Offices or Diocesan and Parish Archives, averaging between 1-2 months, but can reach up to 6 months. Small municipalities or ecclesiastical archives lacking digital cataloging may require longer processing times.

Yes. In addition to tracing and retrieving original records in Italy, we handle obtaining the Hague Apostille on Italian documents required for use abroad, ensuring files are ready for consular authorities.

• Yes, we provide comprehensive documentary support. As specialists in genealogical research, we handle tracing and obtaining all Italian archival and Civil Status documentation essential for citizenship iure sanguinis.
• For the legal or judicial phase of citizenship, we regularly collaborate with a network of national and international partner law firms.
• This allows us to offer integrated, multilingual assistance in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, supporting you from the first archival search to the completion of the process.

The Genealogical Audit service is a critical and professional review of a tree or research already conducted (by private individuals, enthusiasts, or other operators). We verify the correctness of every single family connection, cross-reference sources, identify potential errors of homonymy or unperformed archival checks, and confirm the scientific validity of the entire genealogical framework.

Verification is particularly recommended in three situations:

• Citizenship Applications (iure sanguinis): To ensure there are no discrepancies, incorrect dates, or generational gaps that would cause the application to be rejected by Consulates or Municipalities;
• Research Blocks ("Brick Wall"): When DIY research stops or shows inconsistencies (e.g. ancestors with too many children on incompatible dates or surname discrepancies);
• Publications or Family Books: Before printing a volume on family history or creating an artistic tree, to ensure every piece of information is historically and documentarily flawless.

Timeframes vary based on project complexity, number of generations to go back, and the state of preservation/accessibility of archives. On average, a structured genealogical research takes from 4 weeks to 4-6 months.

Every research is unique. Costs depend on several factors:

• Number of family branches and generations analyzed;
• Need for travel to distant physical archives;
• Any translations from Latin or complex paleographic transcriptions;
• Ancillary services (graphic tree design, travel dossier, land registry searches).

A detailed and transparent quote is always provided before starting investigations.

At the end of the investigation, a complete package is delivered, including:

• Family Tree: in digital format or printable chart;
• Document File: high-resolution digital copies of original records found;
• Transcriptions and Translations: transcription of texts written in ancient handwriting or Latin;
• Historical-Biographical Report: a narrative of the historical, social, and economic context in which your ancestors lived.

For maximum transparency, payments are divided into agreed stages linked to work progress (usually an initial deposit upon assignment, an intermediate portion midway through research, and the final balance upon delivery of work or launch of tour).

In accordance with GDPR (EU Regulation 2016/679), archival investigations focus on deceased ancestors. Data regarding living relatives provided to us is used exclusively to guide research backwards, and is never disclosed or shared with third parties. For research regarding living or recently deceased persons, formal authorization from the person concerned is always required.

Consultation respects the Cultural Heritage Code and personal data protection regulations. Normally, Civil Status and Vital Records registers are freely consultable after approximately 70-100 years from their creation. For documents subject to special restrictions, we proceed by reasoned request and power of attorney from a direct line descendant, or await the natural expiration of statutory terms.

All information, documents, and stories provided are treated with the utmost confidentiality and kept in protected digital archives. Your family's history will never be published on our website or social media without your prior explicit written consent (always obscuring any reference to living persons).

All digitized documents, transcriptions, historical maps, and the final family tree delivered at the end of the work remain your exclusive property for personal and family use.