Civil Records

[MSugumele]

We will be visiting Lungro, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy and would like to know where the civil records of birth, death and marriage may be found. Do we need to get permission to view them?

Thank you,

Marcia Sugumele

[Italysearcher]

The records you want to consult will be found at the 'anagrafe' office in the town hall (municipio). The Mormons (www.familysearch.org click on catalog) have records on film from 1809 - 1910 but the later ones were filmed at the Tribunal which often means that the originals were destroyed (by fire, war or earthquake) and the living residents reconstructed their own records under oath. This may mean that if your family left before the disaster you may not find anything for them, however sometimes there are other records that can be consulted. If you do not speak Italian, take your request in writing to avoid confusion.