Italy, Catania, Arcidiocesi di Catania, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of baptisms, marriages, and deaths from the Archdiocese of Catania (Arcidiocesi di Catania), Catania, Italy. Also includes confirmations (cresime); church censuses (status animarum, stato delle anime); marriage banns (pubblicazioni); marriage contracts (contratti di matrimonio); marriage supplemental documents (allegati di matrimonio); and priesthood ordinations (ordinazioni sacerdotali). Availability of records is largely dependent on time period and locality. Additional images will be added as they become available. The collection generally covers the years 1515 to 1941.

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. Italian Data Privacy rules prohibit making certain records publicly available for viewing. The Italy, Catania, Arcidiocesi di Catania, Catholic Church Records collection is available to registered FamilySearch members. You can register for a free FamilySearch account here. The images are also available to all viewers at The Portale Antenati (Ancestors Portal).

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 Comune or Frazione (Municipality or Fraction)
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) 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.