Convoluted paper trail, advice needed!

[mmccarts]

Hello!

I have recently begun to explore if I qualify for Italian Citizenship through descent, and have spent the last week scouring the available online resources. I've come up with a convoluted paper trail, and would love some advice on how to further proceed.

Here's what I (think) I know:
My great-great-grandfather Mauro Puzio was left in a basket at an orphanage in or near Afragola, Italy in 1869/1870, and was adopted into the Puzio family.
He marries Teresa Valano in or near Afragola.
I have checked the available online records for Afragola and Napoli, and haven't found anything. I am worried he might not have a birth certificate, but surely they would have a marriage certificate? I am unsure how to proceed.

Then:
He immigrated to the United States in 1901 (ship record found on ancestry).
My great-grandfather John was born in 1903 (haven't been able to track down a birth certificate, but he is listed as born in New York in all censuses).
1910 Census: Mauro Puzio (misspelled Maura Puzzio) is listed as "papers" in the census.
1915, 1920 (incorrectly listed as Mariano), 1930, and 1940 census: he is listed as either a citizen or naturalized.

I am aware of the 1912 rule, which makes this all the more nerve wracking! I have searched all naturalization records I could find (ancestry, family search, Italian genealogy society, NARA and regional New York online indexes) and I can't find ANYTHING on Mauro's naturalization. How indicative are a lack of online records? Could he have lied on the census? If there is No Record, how will that stack up against the census where he is stated as naturalized?

I might also qualify through my maternal grandmother. That would be Great Grandfather (Dominick Cerchiara, immigrated in 1916) ---> Grandmother (born 1927) ---> Mother (born after 1948) ---> Me. Unfortunately, it is a similar situation. Listed as a citizen in 1930 census but absolutely no paper trail on naturalization that I can find.

I know this was long and complicated, but if anyone has any advice I would so appreciate it. Being able to live and work in Europe would be a game changer for me, and I am eager to connect with my Italian heritage.

Thanks so much!

[Tessa78]

I will defer to those more informed about the particulars of the citizenship qualifications to address those conerns.

As to records...

Could this be your GGF John Puzio/Puzzio in the NYC Birth index?
Puzzio Giovanni Sep 3 1903 Cert# 4185 Bronx

You can request his birth act (for a fee) at this link.
https://www1.nyc.gov/dorforms/birthCertificate.htm
***
Here is the index listing for the marriage of Mauro Puzio and Maria Teresa Villano on 13 August 1893 in Afragola.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=974488

If we can find the marriage allegati (attachments) we may be able to find Mauro's birth act.
However, you will need to write to the Comune of birth for a certified copy of his record for citizenship.

Here is the Marriage Act for Mauro Puzio and Maria Teresa Villano
#77 - dated 13 August 1893 in Afragola
Groom: Mauro Puzio, 23, mason born in Afragola, residing in Afragola; son of deceased Francesco [Puzio] and of deceased Giuseppa Fico.
Bride: Maria Teresa Villano, 19, seamstress, born in Caivano, residing in Afragola; daughter of Luigi [Villano]and of Livia Perccosano(?)
Banns of marriage were posted on 30 July and 6 August
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=974488

AND*** I see no evidence that Mauro was an abandoned child...

Here is the birth act of Mauro Puzio - born in Afragola on 7 December 1870
Father: Francesco Puzio, 60, daylaborer; son of deceased Mauro Puzio
Mother: Giuseppa Fico, his wife, daughter of deceased Tommaso
Francesco presented the child to the official declaring it was born to his wife Giuseppa on the 7th of December at 1 AM at their home in Strada Annunciatella, and the child was given the name MAURO.
There are two notations in the margin of marriages: First to Maria Teresa Villano in 1893; and a second to Angela D'Ambra in 1939.

With the second marriage in Italy in 1939 - I would assume that Mauro was still an Italian Citizen.

T.

[mler]

There is a lot of information that can be obtained on line, but the only way you can be certain that a naturalization did or did not take place is by requesting an official search through USCIS, NARA, and any applicable state or county offices. Only if they certify that no record of naturalization has been found can you be certain that your ancestor did not naturalize. So that's really your first step. You need to know if your ancestor did indeed naturalize and, if so, when.

If ultimately you discover that the government can find no record of naturalization, and this information conflicts with census records, you can still submit your application and hope that the official government records are given greater weight than the less accurate census. Alternatively, you could try to apply in Italy where, I believe, census records are not usually required.

[mmccarts]

@Tessa78 and @mler thank you so much for your replies!

@Tess78 I am completely blown away; thank you SO much for tracking these down! Would you mind attaching the link to Mauro Puzio's Birth Act? I would appreciate it. Also - do you believe the annotation of his second marriage in 1939 to his birth act indicates he was still a citizen then? Although, perhaps he renounced his Italian citizenship but never reported it to the commune?

Regardless, it will likely still come back to his naturalization records (or lack thereof).

Thanks again!

[jennabet]

The Puzzio family are not your ancestors and you cannot apply for Italian citizenship through them. Unless you can find the biological parents of your great-great-grandfather, you don't have a case for jures sanguinis through him.