Recounts the history of the first Italian immigrants, from their journey from Southern Italy in search of economic opportunity, to their labor on the roads and rails of America, to their valuable additions to the American way of life.

A guide for family researchers of Italian descent points the way to resources in the United States as well as information available in the town halls, archives, churches, and libraries of Italy.

Discover your Italian roots! Say "ciao" to your Italian ancestors! This in-depth guide will walk you through the exciting journey of researching your Italian famiglia both here and in Italy. Inside, you'll find tips for every phase of Italian genealogy research, from identifying your immigrant ancestor and pinpointing his hometown to uncovering records of him in Italian archives. In this book, you'll find: • Basic information on starting your family history research, including how to trace your immigrant ancestor back to Italy • Strategies for uncovering genealogy records (including passenger lists, draft cards, and birth, marriage, and death records) from both the United States and Italy, with annotated sample records • Crash-course guides to Italian history, geography, and names • Helpful Italian genealogical word lists • Sample letters for requesting records from Italian archives Whether your ancestors hail from the island of Sicily or the hills of Piedmont, The Family Tree Italian Genealogy Guide will give you the tools you need to track your family in Italy.

For millions of Americans, home means Italy, where their roots started years ago. In Finding Your Italian Ancestors, you'll discover the tools you need to trace your ancestors back to the homeland. Learn how and where to find records in the United States and Italy, get practical advice on deciphering those hard-to-read documents, and explore valuable online resources. The guide also includes maps, multiple glossaries, and an extensive bibliography.

Articles include: Getting the Basics; Researching in Italy; Visiting Ancestral Villages; Locating NARA Records; Home and Family Records; Passenger Manifests; Italian Church Records; Italian Civil Records; Italian Notary Records; and Italian Military Records and more!