Italy, Messina, Patti, Civil Registration, Tribunale - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of civil registration (stato civile) of births, marriages, and deaths within the custody of the Patti Courthouse (Tribunale di Patti). Includes supplemental records (allegati); residency records (cittadinanze); and marriage banns (pubblicazioni). This collection includes records from 1823 to 1941. Availability of records is largely dependent on time period and locality.

In addition, Road Map(s) to multi-year indicies (~1865-1910) are available within this Wiki. At present, the Communes for which such record maps exist are as follows:
 * Gioiosa Marea
 * Tortorici

Finally, there is a related collection -- the Circondario di Patti -- that contains the Allegati (Attachments) for multiple Communes within each film collection. These are in no particular order; for example, in the section marked Matrimoni, allegati 1867-1868, the records for Gioiosa Marea may be found in images 1962 thru 2130. There are no guarantees that the Allegati records are contiguous for a Commune, nor that a section marked "Matrimoni, allegati" will necessarily be limited to attachmennts related to marriages.

The list of Communes for which such records are kept in the Circondario di Patti includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following localities:

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. This includes birth records under 110 years old, and marriage or death records under 70 years old. The Italy, Messina, Patti, Civil Registration, State Archive collection is available to the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the supporting organization. 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:
 * 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, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select Comune or Frazione (Municipality or Fraction)
 * 2) Select Record 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?

 * 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 the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * 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

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.