Looking for Crottis in Dorno, Pavia, Lombardy

[gregpliska]

My grandparents came from the Pavia region, and we're taking my mother - who has never been to Italy! - on a trip there in September. I would love to try and find any relatives I can, though we have limited information about the family.

Here's what I can tell you about my mother's parents:

Her father - my grandfather - was Pietro Giovanni Crotti, born in Dorno, Dec. 12, 1903. His father was Frank (Franco? Francesco?) Crotti, and his mother was Luisa Crotti (maiden name unknown). Pietro came to New York in 1921.

Her mother was Virginia Oglio, born Feb. 21, 1925. I believe she had a sister who became a nun, Suor Edvige Oglio.

I would love any help anyone can give about where to look for more information, or how to find living relatives!

Many thanks,

Greg Pliska (my father was of Polish descent, but I'm still half Crotti!)

[PeterTimber]

Easy enough and very easy..go to the following website for what you can ask for and then I will give you the address.

http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/pearlsofwi ... tters.html

Go to www.tuttitalia.it/lombardia/42-dorno and scroll down to municipio which is the address for the Uffico di Stato Civile for Dorno (city hall vital statistics). There you can request the documents you wish and its free of charge. =Peter=

[misbris]

Hi,

Here is a site that will give you names and phone numbers of Crottis and Oglios still in Dorno.

http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi ... Dorno&ind=

[gregpliska]

These are both extremely helpful posts. Thank you so much!

My sense - both from this forum and from my searches of various records - is that Crotti is a very common name in Lombardy, particularly around Pavia. And the phone search of Dorno certainly confirms that.

Peter - is it possible to visit the Uffico di Stato Civile in Dorno in person to request this information? Do I need to contact them in advance?

Thanks again for all your help.

Greg

[PeterTimber]

You might wanrt to send them a form letter in Italian and ask them to fill your order for documents (a separate request for each document since clerks research the records) and just tell them you will be there to pick it up in person during the week of...... but don't delay since the normal wait time is 6-8 weeks and your getting close. =Peter=

[misbris]

Hi Greg,

I just returned from a trip to Italy and I did visit the town hall for civil records. I was successful in getting my grandparents' birth and marriage records. However, I first made contact with a cousin still living in the comune who introduced me to the town officials and interpreted for me.


My suggestion is to make contact with someone in the town who shares your name. Even if they are not a close relation, they are likely to know who your family is.

Dorno has fewer than 2000 residents so it is likely that everyone knows everbody else. You know the names of your grandparents and ggrandparents which is a great help.

Are you planning to spend time in the town? We hired a driver who took us from Rome to our town, made phone calls for us. If you want any other info, let me know.

Walking the same streets my ancestors did, seeing where they lived, worked and worshipped was an amazing experience.

[gregpliska]

Thanks, Misbris, that's VERY encouraging information.

We will be staying nearby - in Pavia - and we will have a car. Plus, my wife and mother are both reasonably fluent in Italian. (My mother hasn't used hers with any frequency in about 25 years, but I more than suspect it'll come flooding back once we're in the country.)

We've found a website for Cafe Crotti in Dorno, a pasticceria in town, and the site gives family history back into the '30s. I suspect they would be a good place to start. If nothing else, we'll get to sample some great pastry.



Greg

[misbris]

Have a great trip and let us know how you make out.