Jewish Genealogy in Italy

The Jews in Livorno. Genealogy of the 19th and 18th century

The history of the Jewish community of  Livorno begins with the history of the town itself. In 1577 the first stone was laid for the construction of the city and the port of Livorno.
To populate the new town the Grand Duke Ferdinando the 1st issued between 1591 and 1593 varoius edicts known as the "Livornine".

These proclamations provided to new immigrants for tax exemption, some immunities, and complete religious freedom. Jewish, Turkish and Moorish merchants where expressly invited to establish in town. Jews could own houses, open shops in all parts of the city, study at the university and did not have to wear the Jewish badge. Thanks these provisions and due to the  central position of Livorno in the Mediterranean Sea, the Jews flocked in the port and Jewish population incrased.The history of the Jewish community of  Livorno begins with the history of the town itself. In 1577 the first stone was laid for the construction of the city and the port of Livorno. In a couple of centuries the Jewish population reached one eight of the entire population of the town.
			Livorno. The house of A. Modigliani

Most immigrants were Conversos or Levantines, thus Spanish became the official language of the Jewish community of Livorno.
Jews who came to Livorno kept contacts with the places of origin: this increased cultural and commercial relations throughout the Mediterranean area with trade networks that lasted for centuries.

Number of the Jews in Livorno:

In 1765, more than one-third of the largest 150 commercial houses in Livorno were owned by Jews.
For three hundred years Livorno, "the city without a ghetto",  was a point of reference for the Diaspora.

Records available

Births	1808-1814	1818-1865	see an example	1865-2000
Matrimonies	1808-1814	1818-1865	see an example	1865-2000
Dearths	1808-1814	1818-1865	see an example	1865-2000
Census of 1784		1784	see an example                           research this census
Declarations of adption of a surname 1809		1809	see an example
Census of 1841		1841	see an example

(Please remember to specify the surnames and names in your genealogy)

This page is part of Jewish Genealogy in Italy