Italy, Biella, Civil Registration, State Archive - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of of civil registration (stato civile) of births, marriages, and deaths within the custody of the State Archive of Biella (Archivio di Stato di Biella). Includes supplemental documents (allegati); residency records (cittadinanze); and marriage banns (pubblicazioni). It generally covers the years 1803 to 1815 and 1838 to 1942. However, the availability of records is largely dependent on time period and locality.

The civil registration records are an excellent source of accurate data on names, dates, and places for genealogical research in Biella. However, before 1860, when civil registration became law for the entire country, it is suggested to research the church records.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Italian. For help reading these records, please see: FamilySearch Learning Center videos:
 * Italian Genealogical Word List
 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Italy Letter Writing Guide
 * Italy Language and Languages
 * Italy Handwriting
 * Reading Italian Handwritten Records

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

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

Marriage
 * 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
 * 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 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
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

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
 * 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
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * 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
 * 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

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

 * Consult the Italy Record Finder and Italy Research Tips and Strategiesto find other records
 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of you ancestor is now in a neighboring province. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * 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

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

Italia, Biella, registro civil, archivo del estado (Registros históricos de FamilySearch) Itália, Biella, Registro Civil, Arquivo do Estado (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)