Genealogy in Italy: Family History, Resources, Databases, Researches, Italian Surname(s), History of the Jews, DNA, RNA, Y marker, Italian Citizenship

Italy has a very important role in Jewish history and genealogy: it is located centrally on the Mediterranean sea and serves as an important crossroad and an intersection between North and South, East and West, Sephardic and Ashkenazi culture.

If your ancestors lived in or came from Europe, there are many possibilities that a branch of your family went through Italy.

In Italy there is not a central collection of records for genealogical purposes, but there are numerous places in which administrative, civil, religious, and military records are stored.


Italy has a very important role in Jewish history and genealogy: it is located centrally on the Mediterranean sea and serves as an important crossroad and an intersection between North and South, East and West, Sephardic and Ashkenazi culture. If your ancestors lived in or came from Europe, there are many possibilities that a branch of your family went through Italy. In Italy there is not a central collection of records for genealogical purposes, but there are numerous places in which administrative, civil, religious, and military records are stored.


In these pages you'll find a sketch of the History of the Jews of Italy You'll find also a guide on how to begin your research, examples of Jewish documents and projects of databases on Jewish genealogy. Here you'll find information and resources on the places where most Jews lived: Ancona, Livorno, Roma, Venezia, Sicily and others. To begin your research you need a name, a place of origin and an approximate period when your ancestor(s) lived. That's all. Let's start this exciting trip!

You can find information about Kosher places in Italy at JewishItaly.org Site Map