In Potenza, surnames Laurita, Messina, Albano and Paciello

[EddyGregory]

I'm researching my mother-in-law's paternal line. Please let me know if you have information on the surnames Laurita, Messina, Albano and Paciello, all from Potenza. My mother-in-law Anne Laurita DeVita, had always been told by her father that they were acually of Spanish decent, not Italian. Yet nothing in the ancestral record backs that up as far as the mid-1700s. Yet, a recent DNA test suggests up to 7% Iberian Peninsula. That would suggest a possibility of one of my wife's great, grandparents being of Iberian decent.
Is anyone aware of any connections between Potenza and Spain?
Are birth records readily available anywhere? (No one seems to have gotten around to downloading them yet.)
Or should I write directly to an office in Italy?
And is anyone familiar with any of the following individuals or possible familial connections:

Gerardo (Gernardo) Laurita BIRTH 1843 • Saracena Italy , DEATH 1947

Carmine Antonio Laurita BIRTH 21 SEP 1795 • Potenza, DEATH 10 FEB 1873 • Via Del Popelo, Potenza,

Silvestro Laurita BIRTH ABT. 1731 • Potenza, Potenza,

Teresa Cresei BIRTH 1736 • Potenza, Potenza,

Angela Pontolillo BIRTH 1773 • Potenza, Italy, DEATH 03 JUL 1864 • Italy

Rosa Rosaria Albano BIRTH 02 AUG • Pignola di Basilicata, Potenza, DEATH 1882 • Basilicata,

Antonio Mario Albano BIRTH 12 NOV 1876 • Pignola, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy, DEATH 1953 • Italy

Rocco Domenico Saverio Albano BIRTH 28 MAY 1837 • Pignola, Potenza, DEATH 20 FEB 1910 • Trivigno, Potenza,

Potito ALBANO BIRTH ABT 1762 • Pignola, Potenza, DEATH 2 SEP 1870 • Trivigno, Potenza,

Felicia Palese BIRTH ABT 1797, DEATH 28 AUG. 1852 • Vaglio Basilicata, Potenza,

Serafino Palese BIRTH ABT 1770 • Italy, married to Porsia Stigliano

Maria Teresa Zito BIRTH 12 NOV 1835 • Trivigno, Potenza, DEATH 22 AUG 1882 • Trivigno, Potenza

Giuseppe Nicola Gaetano Zito BIRTH 23 JUL 1803 • Trivigno, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy, DEATH 16 JUN 1869 • Trivigno, Potenza

[adelfio]

Do you any birth records to verify your findings? How did you get your info you have ?
There are many online records of towns of Potenza province

Marty

[EddyGregory]

Most of the records I have found have been on Ancestry.com, mostly US records, but a few Italian records. Once we get back to Potenza, the majority of the info is unconfirmed trees that are already on Ancestry. I know these are not always reliable, which is one area I want to confirm.
Is there a specific website where I can find Potenza records? Is it pretty much what's already on Ancestry?
The story that her Mom's family had Spanish heritage is strictly oral history handed down from her grandfather, Vincenzo Laurita.

[khoney]

Records on line for most but not all of the years from 1809 to 1864

Archivio di Stato di Potenza records for Potenza

http://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.i ... poleonico/

Records on line for most but not all of the years from 1866 to 1910

Potenza communes excluding Potenza, Potenza can be accessed at

https://www.familysearch.org/search/cat ... %20Library

Notes

Records of Italy, Potenza, Lagonegro, Civil Registration (Tribunale) are available online, click here.

Records for Potenza, Potenza accessed at

https://www.familysearch.org/search/cat ... %20Library

Notes

Records of Italy, Potenza, Potenza, Civil Registration (Tribunale) are available online, click here.

[adelfio]

Do you have a public tree I can look at?


Marty

[EddyGregory]

Yes, let me know if you can view it.
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tr ... &selnode=1
I've looked at some of the records. They're great to see. I'll post if I find anything.

[adelfio]

It looks like you have a lot of work to verify your findings in your tree do you have a whole subscription to ancestry
Vincenzo Laurita 1884 Feb 4th birth record married Raffaela Marzano 1907

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/18 ... 0023-00018

Marty

[EddyGregory]

Yes. I have the Ancestry subscription, and she's done a basic DNA match. That's a terrific record. The date confirms their known wedding date.

[adelfio]

Birth record of Rosalia Laurita(sister of Vincenzo Laurita)
INDEX#544
1881 Oct 17th in the town of Potenza birth of Rosalia Laurita daughter of Gerardo Laurita and his wife Rosina Albano
CLICK ON IMAGE

[adelfio]

Death record of Rosalia Laurita(sister of Vincenzo Laurita)
INDEX#112
1883 April 14th in the town of Potenza death of Rosalia Laurita age 18 months daughter of Gerardo Laurita and his wife Rosina Albano
CLICK ON IMAGE

[adelfio]

Marriage record of Gerardantonio Laurita and Rosina Albano
INDEX#51
1873 July 2nd in the town of Potenza marriage of Gerardantonio Laurita age 32 sculpter born and resides in Potenza son of deceased Francesco Laurita and Margherita Viola??? married Rosina Albano age 23 seamstress born and resides in Potenza daughter of deceased Gerardo Albano and Antonia Catenazzo

CLICK ON IMAGE

[EddyGregory]

These are great records. The birth and death records on Rosalita are spot on. I've included them in the Ancestry tree.
I'm wondering if the last record is for Gerardo and Rosaria Laurita on my wife's tree. The time period is right, the names are close enough. Interestingly, that Rosaria was a seamstress, as her son (if this fits our chart) was a dressmaker. Of course, I only have existing family trees to refer to for their parents, but they don't match up on Gerardo's side. On Rosaria's side, the parent names are reversed from her family trees - Antonio and Maria Gerarda, not Gerardo and Antonia. But close enough to wonder.
Do you feel confident that this is Gerardo and Rosaria Laurita on our tree?