Bracciale and Contadine

Having problems with the Italian language? Do you need help to translate or understand an old family document? There is always someone who can help you!
Post Reply
User avatar
Morto
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: 04 Mar 2011, 20:19

Bracciale and Contadine

Post by Morto »

Dear all
I understand that Bracciale means farm labourer whereas Contadine means peasant farmer. However, please could someone explain what the difference is? It comes up on a death certficate that one generation was bracciale and the next was contadine. Is it a question of land ownership?
Also, if it is about land, is there any way of finding a record of tracing where it was? I have various birth/marriage/death certificates, but I don't know more than that it was in Belmonte Castello.
Many thanks
User avatar
Italysearcher
Master
Master
Posts: 3411
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 19:58
Location: Sora, Italy
Contact:

Re: Bracciale and Contadine

Post by Italysearcher »

Braccia is Italian for arm, so a bracciale is someone who labours with their arms.
A contadino is someone who lives off the land. Growing produce for their own use and **SPAM** the surplus. The land can be owned or rented.
Belmonte Castello might have records of land ownership. You could write to the Ufficio technico and ask.
Belmonte parish records go back to the 1500's but are in terrible condition. I have the equipment to digitize the records but would need to raise about 200 euro just to cover my costs.
Ann Tatangelo
http://angelresearch.net
Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
User avatar
Apples
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 43
Joined: 09 Oct 2010, 19:58
Location: Bath, England

Re: Bracciale and Contadine

Post by Apples »

Can you find land ownership records in other areas of italy?

If so do you write to the Ufficio technico - or do the records vary in different parts of italy?

I am looking in the Lucca/Capannori area.

Thanks
User avatar
Julo
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 61
Joined: 31 Mar 2006, 00:00

Re: Bracciale and Contadine

Post by Julo »

BRACCIANTE= a land daily worker, someone you pay to work on a daily basis doing pretty much anything.

CONTADINO= farmer

A contadino may or may not be the owner of the land he works on, while the bracciante is never the owner, just the worker.
Post Reply