Italy, La Spezia, Civil Registration, State Archive - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes civil registration (stato civile) of births, marriages, and deaths within the custody of the State Archive of La Spezia (Archivio di Stato di La Spezia). It will cover the years 1780 to 1865. Availability of records is largely dependent on time period and locality.

The registration of birth, marriage, and death were kept on separate registers. Supplemental files include a title page followed by several documents such as:
 * Notes from hospitals regarding births or deaths
 * Notes from other towns or foreign countries (if a birth or death did not occur in the regular place of residence)
 * Marriage files
 * Marriage banns
 * Declarations of intention to marry
 * Other certificates

Often there is an alphabetic index (list of names included in the record) at the end of a record type. Most of the records in this collection follow a generally accepted format. In early years they were handwritten in narrative style and in later years they were hand-filled printed forms. Some of the original records were damaged due to natural elements at the time of filming; therefore, some information may have been lost or hard to read.

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

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

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
 * Family relationships

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


 * 1) Select Province
 * 2) Select Comune or Frazione (Municipality or Fraction)
 * 3) 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?

 * Add any new information you’ve found 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; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * 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

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.