Ancestor Portal tools for genealogical research.

Genealogical research allows you to reconstruct your family history but also to draw a picture of Italian society through the generations.

Genealogical sources in the State Archives: in the State Archives there are many sources, both public and private, essential for genealogical research and for the history of individual families and individuals. The main sources are:

The Glossary allows you to learn the more technical terms and general concepts of genealogical and archival research scattered throughout the different pages of the Antenati portal.

Italy did not achieve political and territorial unity until 1861: for this reason of great importance are the Pre-unification historical-geographical dictionaries providing very useful information on the organisation of the territory and the history of the Italian states before the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, sometimes indispensable for understanding the administrative division of the municipalities and other bodies responsible for keeping civil status registers. For the post-unification period, to check the evolution of administrative districts, including municipalities, it is possible to consult the Historical Institutional Atlas of United Italy.

In the Digital Publications section you will find an annotated bibliography divided into types of sources for genealogical research (civil status, military sources, ecclesiastical sources) with articles and scientific contributions that can be downloaded in full from the site. In the Materials and Contributions section, however, you will find interventions and contributions relating to the topics covered by the Antenati portal.