appearance of Italian records?

[williamsburger]

Ciao!

At the end of September, I sent out a letter to the commune my great-grandparents came from, with the help of this board. While I wasn't expecting a reply for some months, I got a package last week!

The package contained all documents I requested (ggm & ggf's birth certs, as well as their marriage license), but I'm a bit wary of the formatting. I guess I was expecting a very old-fashioned document with handwritten information, similar to my grandparents' American birth certificates. Instead, the documents look like this:




I assume these documents are just modern recreations of the original documents, but I'm worried the Italian consulate in Newark won't accept them. They have the town seal on them, which is reassuring.

Did anyone else have documents from Italy that looked like this? Am I all set to go, or do I have to send another letter?

Thank you!

[maestra36]

This is an extracted record in which the information from the original was hand copied and a new document was created with that information to send to you. Someone else who deals with required documents for dual citizenship will have to answer your question about whether or not it will be acceptable to the consulate

[williamsburger]

Thanks maestra36, that's what I was afraid of.

At least I know that all my dates and names are correct! Also, if I'm understanding correctly, it looks like my great-grandfather is only the 31st birth on record at the commune. (My great-grandmother, a year later, is the 62nd.) If that's true, it's crazy to think that if he'd been born two years earlier, there might not be a record of him at all!

[liviomoreno]

Thanks maestra36, that's what I was afraid of.

At least I know that all my dates and names are correct! Also, if I'm understanding correctly, it looks like my great-grandfather is only the 31st birth on record at the commune. (My great-grandmother, a year later, is the 62nd.) If that's true, it's crazy to think that if he'd been born two years earlier, there might not be a record of him at all!

31 is referred to the year 1892...

This document is valid and must be accepted by the consulate.

[maestra36]

The record numbers start over again each year. So, record #31 for the year of 1892 "may mean" that 30 births occurred in the town prior to this one, between the beginning of Jan of that year and the date your ancestor was born.

I said "may mean" because, when you look at the birth records on microfilm, the date on the top of the record is not always the date of the actual birth, but rather a filing date. So a child born a day or two after your ancestor may have a record number which precedes his, if that child was presented at the town hall first and his birth record was created before your ancestor's birth record.

I think in the case of the extract that you were sent by the the town official, the date given in the extract is the actual date of birth.

[williamsburger]

Gosh, now I feel stupid!

[maestra36]

The only question that is stupid is the one not asked. When you are not sure about something, you should always ask.
Peg

[maestra36]

I should add, good luck with the consulate.

Peg