Category Archives: Civil Registration

A fatherless line of Italian ancestors

When my 24 year-old Italian great-grandfather Giacomo boarded a ship and emigrated to the United States in 1910, he left behind a tiny family unit composed of solely by his mother, Margherita. She was listed on the passenger list as … Continue reading

Posted in Birth, Civil Registration, Death, Genealogy, Illegitimacy, Italy, Marriage, Nizza Monferrato, War, World War II | 1 Comment

The Italian connection

Because yesterday was, genealogically speaking, a good day – I managed to add a new line of relatives to the Italian side of my family tree thanks to the combined help of AncestryDNA and available records online – I’ve decided … Continue reading

Posted in Antenati, Civil Registration, Emigration, Family Search, Genealogy, Italy, New York City, San Marzano Oliveto, United States | Leave a comment

Looking for Edwin

In 2014 I decided to take advantage of my Ancestry.co.uk subscription and expand my research area beyond my own blood-relatives to collateral lines and families who intermarried with my own. By doing so I knew I would probably hit a … Continue reading

Posted in 1911 Census, 1939 UK Register, Adoption, Ancestry.com, Birth, Civil Registration, England, Genealogy, Herefordshire, Illegitimacy, Killed In Action, War, World War I | 1 Comment

Twins, or a multiple baptism?

Having twins in the family always adds an interesting footnote to one’s own family history. My great-grandfather (on my English side) was a twin – although his twin sister died aged only a few months- and my Italian great-grandmother was … Continue reading

Posted in 1841 Census, 1851 Census, 1861 Census, 1871 Census, Birth, Civil Registration, Death, England, Genealogy, Herefordshire, Hope-under-Dinmore | Leave a comment

Why don’t Spanish death certificates include a cause of death?

If you have ever had to order a death certificate from a Spanish registry office, you may have noticed that the cause of death is crossed out, or simply does not exist. To many of us, the absence of a … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Registration, Death, Spain | Leave a comment

How to order a Spanish death certificate?

One of the most common questions I usually get when discussing genealogy is “how can I get my ancestor’s death certificate from Spain?”. The procedure is actually pretty straight-forward and it usually takes a few days – if you’re lucky!- … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Registration, Death, Galicia, Genealogy, Spain | 1 Comment

A mystery, finally solved?

Conundrum Years ago, when I first started investigating the origins of my Allen ancestors, I inevitably turned to the Internet for help. The 1841, 1851 and 1861 census records I had access to at the time revealed that my most remote … Continue reading

Posted in 1841 Census, 1851 Census, 1861 Census, Adoption, Ancestry.com, Birth, Civil Registration, Colwall, Engagement, England, Genealogy, Herefordshire, Illegitimacy, Marriage, Women, Worcestershire | 3 Comments

Under my nose all this time!

Thanks to the helpful assistance of the church archives in Acqui Terme (NW Italy) I have been able to progress in my family tree research to boundaries I never knew or expected I could reach. Archives in that particular area … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Registration, Death, Genealogy, Italy, Marriage, San Marzano Oliveto, Women | 2 Comments

How to order a Spanish birth certificate?

One of the most common questions I usually get when discussing genealogy is “how can I get my ancestor’s birth certificate from Spain?”. The procedure is actually pretty straight-forward and it usually only takes a few days – if you’re … Continue reading

Posted in Birth, Civil Registration, Genealogy, Spain | 28 Comments

Beware of names!

If, like me, you have ever had trouble locating an ancestor’s name knowing you are looking in the right place, you will know how frustrating it is to hit a brick wall. Hopefully this article may offer some further guidance. … Continue reading

Posted in Birth, Civil Registration, Galicia, Genealogy, Illegitimacy, Ireland, Marriage, Spain, Who Do You Think You Are? | 1 Comment