Re: Help me trace my Italian roots! DONATELLI and CANNAVINO families
In Reply to: Help me trace my Italian roots! DONATELLI and CANNAVINO families posted by Chuck Archer on 07/11/03 at 3:00 PM:
Hi Chuck,
To trace your roots you will need to determine the name of the town your family originated in. I suspect you don't have any of your grandparents papers (birth, naturalization, marriage, etc or you would likely have found it on there already.
Social Security applications usually show the country and town of birth. I checked the Social Security Death Index, and I'm sure I see your grandmother and uncle but not your grandfather. Go to that website http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ and look them up. If you send for their applications (a small fee about $7 is involved) you will get a copy of their SSN application. You can also see a distribution of your family names at http://gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/
Once you learn the town, there are a number of ways to get information: the Church of Latter day Saints has microfilmed the civil records of virtually every town in Italy, and they make them available at their Family History Centers. Or you can write to the twon or the church in the town and request information. Or you can use the service of professional genealogists. Abruzzo2000 has a fine one. I hope you make out well. ...Al