Italian Genealogy: From the Basics to Busting the Inevitable Brick Walls
Are there Italians in your family tree? If there are, you'll want to hear Anthony Festa discuss how best to begin one’s search into their Italian heritage, covering records and information available in the U.S. as well as those in Italy. He’ll also tell you how he overcame some commonly encountered brick walls and tackled certain research issues. Examples and case studies from his own family will illustrate his presentation and provide ideas and inspiration for your search.
A life-long resident of New Jersey, Anthony hails from Southern Italian roots. Growing up in Jersey City, his interest in genealogy and family history started small in college but became a full-time hobby (obsession?) about 4 years ago when his first child was born. With the goal of documenting his family's history and giving his loved ones a sense of their roots, Anthony taught himself the basics of Italian genealogy by trial and error.
Consistent further study, research, and interactions with those in the genealogical community have advanced his knowledge of Italian records and research, as well as other genealogy topics. You may have heard his report last year on Ancestry Day in NYC. He is a member of the Italian Genealogical Society and a Find a Grave volunteer in Somerset County.
When not spending hours on Ancestry.com, visiting his local Family History Center or sneaking down to the NYC Archives on his lunch breaks, Anthony enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children in Martinsville, and works as a machinery appraiser for an international business consulting firm in New York.
No Italian blood in your veins? Plan to come anyway - there'll surely be something for everyone to learn.