Over 25 million Italians have emigrated between 1861 and 1960 with a migration boom between 1871 and 1915 when over 13,5 million emigrants left the country for European and overseas destinations.
I need clarification on my great grandfather's "birth record". The county where he was born was not consistent on how the births were reported. I have a "Return of a Birth" document that was completed by the attending physician, but it doesn't include his given name. I also have his baptism record which includes his given name (in Latin), same birth date and same parents (in Latin). I am wondering if this documentation will be sufficient.
OMG my family is Di Santi / Di Santo (sp changed after arrival) as well! They are from San Lorenzello, BN. My great grandmother was Carmela too. LOL
There is no birth certificate? I need more info.
I'm not a lawyer or consulate official, but I do have to provide records for the court in Rome and I HAD to have them or else my case was weak. And where the names differed, I had to get an official to explain and have that notarized.
It's common for the church records to be in Latin, but if it cannot have an apostille, it may not be enough. You need to get some type of official from the state to complete an affidavit that your grandfather was born to these parents on this date. Is there a city registry that recorded it (even without certificate) - they can provide an abstract which can be apostilled. Did grandpa ever apply for social security or a passport? You can request those records. Worst case I would try to get the church to issue a copy of the baptism and get it notarized, then an apostille. The state will apostille the notary.
It may work differently in your state.
There is no official birth certificate. There is an entry in an index to birth registers for him that has his first name and date of birth (no parents names), but apparently the actual register was destroyed. The diocese is willing to create a notarized copy of the baptismal certificate. Hopefully that will work.
