Bracciale and Contadine

[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

[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.

[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

[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.