Going the extra mile

[willperone]

Wow this is a great resource, how did you find it? Unfortunately it doesn't have a marriage record of my ancestors: Pasquale Pirone (or any Pirone/Perone) and Concetta Canico but this is great to have still. I can still look up their son Antonio's birth record in 1811 though or any other potential siblings of him, I wonder if the website owner does requests...

[willperone]

Also Jack can you explain what you are talking about with the Naples archives? Is it possible to even have access to that?

[jack182183]

The original copies of the catasto are in Naples. If someone has researched the catasto it would be microfilmed. If it hasn't been searched, the archive will microfilm it as the conditions of the originals are so poor. I don't know for sure but the state archive of Avellino might contain a microfilm copy if someone has microfilmed it. You could write the archive in Avellino to see if they have a microfilm copy so if you do hire someone you'll know which archive to send them to. I don't know what the archives are willing to do. You have nothing to lose by writing them a letter. I know some researchers who have been able to get whole town's catastos for a reasonable price.

I attached a picture so you can see what is included in the Catasto, this is for my ancestor Paolo D'Asta.

Here's more info too:

http://www.italyworldclub.com/genealogy/catasti.htm

-Jack

[willperone]

It would be cool to see what land my ancestors owned but I'm unsure how to use something like a catasto in genealogical research. I wrote to the owner of that blog that was linked and he said to try the church records or archives in Avellino and also recommended a local researcher Joe de Simone. From other posts it looks like others have had no luck writing to the diocese archives in Avellino.

[jack182183]

The purpose was for taxes/land registry but it is a complete census, not just head of household or male census. As Italy lacks censuses and it's hard to get church records, this is one of the best (and overlooked) resources out there for Italy in the 1700s, as it lists every inhabitant of the town.

An example as how it relates to genealogy: My ancestor died in 1812. His civil registration death lists his father as Paolo D'Asta. The catasto showed me how old Paolo was and that his mother was Francesca Lo Feudo. As Paolo and Francesca died before civil registration, the Catasto added another generation and information otherwise unable to be found unless through church records.

Do you know who Pasquale Perone's father is? Let's say that Pasquale was born approx. 1780. As the census is for 1755, there is a high chance that Pasquale's father would be listed in the Catasto...probably as a child. Which would then give you his parents. Sometimes if you're lucky a grandparent...extending your branches back to early 1700s.

I hope I didn't confuse you more!