Legacy Tree works with researchers all over the world to access records. We asked Valerie, of Italy’s Basilicata region, to talk about her experience at the Province of Potenza Archives.
Hidden in a nondescript building on a steep side street in Potenza, you could walk past the archives building without even realizing it was there. In fact, on the first visit I had to look hard and ask three people on the street where it was!
Each Italian region is broken into provinces, and each province has an archivio di stato (state archives) that holds provincial records, civil registries, and historical documents and maps. The Province of Potenza Archives contains 10 kilometers worth of shelving in its vaults that conserve a wealth of important documents. Its oldest is a parchment dating back to 900 AD! Want to learn more about ancient Italian records? Check out our article, Tracing Ancestry Through Medieval Italian Records.
For genealogy researchers, the most used collections are atti civili – the birth, death, and marriage registers for each town in the province. Thanks to Napoleon, who instituted mandatory record keeping for each municipality with copies to be deposited with the archives for safe-keeping, there are records from 1806 until the period of the unification of Italy (1866). There are also military inscription registries for all men born between 1842 through 1939, which can be helpful in locating family ties as well.
In addition, there are notary records, compiled by each notaio, which document the transactions he oversaw. These can include property sales, wills, land transfers, and dowry and marriage arrangements for wealthy and noble families. They are the most tedious and time-consuming records to search, as each notaio had his own method of record keeping and his own shorthand, and these registries don’t include indices. Still, though, they are often worth the time for their valuable information.
To use the reading room (sala di studio), you must request access by filling out a form and showing identification. Each time you visit, you sign in and can then compile the document request form, one for each year of registry that you want to search. Purses and bags must be left in the reception area in a locker.
Up to eight books can be requested per visit, but only two a time. Once you request, for example, Civil Records for Trivigno for 1860 and 1861, the staff will go down to the vault and extract them, bringing them to you on a cart. You can sit at the desks and look through them. Most have an alphabetized index in the back indicating the appropriate record number. The atti civili are handwritten transcriptions of each birth, death and marriage, organized by date as they occurred in each community. They often include parents’ names, the address where the family lived, and sometimes occupations.
Photocopy service is available, but is an antiquated and torturous system; it is far better to pay the camera fee of €3 per book than to watch the technicians plunge these historic documents onto the photocopier, press down on the spines and even tape on paper to cover non-pertinent entries (for privacy sanctions). If you opt for a photocopy, you’ll have to take the book to the back room; once the copy is made they give you a receipt to take to the receptionist. She takes your money, gives you another receipt, which you return to the photocopy room in order to retrieve your copy. (See, the camera is a better option!)
The reading room staff is usually quite helpful, and if they don’t have the documents you’re looking for in their collection, can usually point you to the archive or location where you might find them. The Archivio Stato di Potenza is open from 8:15 AM until 1:45 PM and again from 2:30 PM until 5:30 PM. On Fridays and Saturdays they are open only in the morning.
Archivio di Stato di Potenza
Via Nauzario Sauro, 1, 85100 Potenza, Italy
+39 0971 56144
http://www.archiviodistatopotenza.beniculturali.it/
Do you have Italian ancestors from this region? Our excellent onsite researchers can access this archive and other resources in the area to find what you need. Contact us for more information or to speak with a project manager about your goals.
Latest posts by Legacy Tree Genealogists (see all)
- How To Hire a Professional Genealogist - July 31, 2023
- What To Expect When You Hire a Genealogist: Team, Process, Timeline - July 21, 2023
- How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Genealogist? - July 20, 2023
Thanks for the great tour!
Very good…but never physically handle the original records when microfilms are available, for the same reasons museums forbid you to touch the items. If the microfilms are too faint or they omit the page you need, then ask for the original.
Great advice! We love using microfilms when they’re available.
I heartily agree! Unfortunately, many Italian towns and archives are woefully behind in any form of digitalization, even microfilm. The archives office doesn’t have it; they have you handle the original registries -and treat them terribly on the copy machine, as I mentioned. I cringe whenever I see them photocopy something. We constantly push for digitilizing records, but they always say lack of funding prevents it. Someday…
Does anyone know whether the church records for any of the towns in the province of Potenza have been microfilmed? I’m basicallyt at the stage where I’m need to research pre 1810 records. If they haven’t been microfilmed, how do I go about researching pre 1810 records. Has anyone had any experience with this. Thank you for your help. (Ofcourse, II have managed to find a little of information pre 1810 from civil record extracts amongst marriage allegati which has been great.
Any records before 1809 or 1810 in the Potenza area will be held at the local village church. These are private records–they aren’t microfilmed and access to them will be at the priest’s discretion. They are also usually written in very difficult Latin script. You can try writing to the priest to request a copy of the record (don’t forget to include specifics in Italian, a donation, and return SASE) but he may or may not have time to respond.
Contact us for a free estimate to send a local researcher to search the church records for you!
Thank you for your reply. I suspected that might be the case. I will try writing.
I am particularly interesting in the towns of Saponara di Grumento (now Grumento Nova) and Sarconi. Is anyone able to give me feedback on their experiences, if any, of their liaison with the church of either of these two towns, either through writing or visiting.
We have previously contacted the parish priest at the local church in Sarconi (Chiesa Santa Maria in Cielo Assunta) and were told by the priest that the parish records there do not go back further than 1800. Additional records may be located at the Anagrafe office in Sarconi and in the parish archive, however, searching these records would require an in-person visit.
Let us know how we can help!
This is very helpful. Thank you. No other help required at this stage.
Great information, Thank you very much
i am trying to find my grandfathers birth certificate Salvatore Carbonara….born around 1870 came to US and married Rafaella Marchesiello in bronx new york..my mother Elena Carbonara youngest of 7 children
We would be happy to assist you with this, Claire. I will have a member of our team contact you to discuss the specifics of your research goal.
Re: Digitisation of Liste di Leva – Province of Potenza
Does anyone know whether the State Archives in Potenza are planning to digitise their Liste di Leva in the near future?
Hello, I am looking for adoption information about my paternal Grandfather – His name is Paolo Amabile and I think he was born in 1906 and he was adopted. He married my Grandmother Maria Hrelia. I think he was born in Marche.
Could someone please help me with this information.
Kind regards,
Annamaria
Hi Annamaria, one of our specific areas of expertise is adoption, and we also have researchers that specialize in Italy! Please contact us by filling out the form on our Get in Touch page and our Client Solutions Specialists can provide the next steps to help you learn more about your family and give you a free estimate if research is needed.