The Anagrafe (Big Brother, Italian-style)
Italian civil records have to be the most informative I have ever encountered. They are so detailed they practically tell the family story as a standalone. The Anagrafe knows everything about all of its residents, where they live, who their parents are, their birth marriage and death dates and now even their divorce details. They … Continue reading
What’s in a name?
Under Napoleon, and continuing even to today although not enforced, it was forbidden to name a male child after it’s father unless the father was dead. Because of the continued reuse of forenames within a family many Italians, even today are known by their first name followed by their father’s first name. This meant that … Continue reading
