Italy, Matera, Matera, Civil Registration, Tribunale - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
Civil registration (stato civile) of births, marriages, and deaths within the custody of the Matera Courthouse (Tribunale di Matera).

The collection includes:
 * Ten-year indexes (indici decennali)
 * Supplemental records (allegati)
 * Marriage banns (pubblicazioni)

Records for this collection include the years 1866-1929. Availability of records depends on time period and locality.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Italian; also see the section For Help Reading These Records for translation helps.

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

Birth records
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Name of the child
 * Parents’ names

Marriage records
 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Names of the groom and bride
 * Ages of the groom and bride
 * Residence of all
 * Parents’ names
 * Witnesses’ names

Death records
 * Date of death
 * Place of death
 * Time of death
 * Cause of death
 * Sometimes the parents’ names

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

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before using this collection it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select the appropriate “Province”
 * 2) Select the appropriate “Comune or Frazione” which takes you to 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.

For Help Reading These Records
For help reading the records see the following wiki articles:


 * Italy Language and Languages
 * Italian Genealogical Word List

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the age in the citizen to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records.
 * 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.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and 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 and notice the asterisk for recently added or updated records.
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or Church Records may be more useful.
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

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.


 * Collection Citation:

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