Italy, Genova, Civil Registration (State Archive) - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of civil registration (stato civile) of births, marriages, and deaths within the custody of the State Archive of Genova (Archivio di Stato di Genova). Also includes censuses (censimenti), ten-year indexes (indici decennali), and marriage banns (pubblicazioni). Availability of records is largely dependent on time period and locality. Records for this collection cover the years 1796-1812, 1838-1859, 1866-1899.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. These images can be viewed online by members of the supporting organization(s), at a family history center near you, or the Family History Library.

For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

Reading These Records
For help reading these Italian 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

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth Records
 * Birth date and place of birth
 * Name of child
 * Names of witnesses
 * Gender
 * Names and occupation of parents

Marriage Records
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Names and residences of parents
 * Groom's birth place and residence
 * Bride's age and occupation
 * Names of witnesses

Death Records
 * Name, age, and occupation of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Residence and birthplace of deceased
 * Name and occupation of father/name of mother

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Italy, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records.

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


 * 1) Select Comune or Frazione (Municipality or Fraction)
 * 2) Select Event Type and Year 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?

 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved, been recruited or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records indexes in the country
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors

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

 * Italy Church Records are also a good substitute when civil records of births, marriages, and deaths cannot be found or are unavailable
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name
 * Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Italy Emigration and Immigration records
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to see if your ancestor’s records have been added.  You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections.  Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records

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.