Italy, Biella, Borriana, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This is a collection of Catholic Church records from the parish of San Sulpizio in Biella for the years 1740 to 1938.

The collection includes baptisms, marriages, and burials. The records are generally kept in bound registers consisting of approximately 100-400 pages per volume. Some registers include an index at the end of each volume. Volumes prior to 1815 were handwritten by the parish priest in narrative form with details of the event; after 1815, the records were handwritten in printed forms. The text of the records is in Italian; some earlier registers may have the text in Latin. The original registers were kept in the parish archive and a copy was sent to the diocesan archive. This collection was acquired from the custodian of the records at Borriana Archive in Biella, Italy.

Reading These Records
These records are in Italian. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * Italy Language and Languages
 * Italian Genealogical Word List
 * Script Tutorial for Italian
 * Italy Handwriting
 * FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Reading Italian Handwritten Records

Collection Content
For details about the contents of these records, their history, and help using them see the wiki article: Italy Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :


 * 1) Select Record Type to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Check the image the index was taken from to see if there is additional information
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing this Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, Now What?

 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring area. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Italy.
 * Italy Guided Research
 * Italy Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.