A Beginner's Glossary for Reading Sicilian Genealogical Records
You’ve successfully navigated the archives and found a document with your ancestor’s name on it—an exhilarating moment! But as you look closer, you’re faced with a new challenge: the document is written in ornate, cursive Italian, filled with unfamiliar terms and abbreviations.
Don’t let this stop you. Understanding a few key words can unlock the rich details hidden in these records. This glossary is designed to be your go-to cheat sheet for deciphering the most common terms found in Sicilian birth, marriage, and death records.
Don’t let this stop you. Understanding a few key words can unlock the rich details hidden in these records. This glossary is designed to be your go-to cheat sheet for deciphering the most common terms found in Sicilian birth, marriage, and death records.
General Terms You'll See Everywhere
Before we dive into specific record types, here are some words that appear in almost every document.
- Anno: Year
- Mese: Month
- Giorno: Day
- Oggi: Today
- Comune: The town or municipality
- Provincia: The province
- Atto / Atti: Record / Records
- Ufficiale dello Stato Civile: Civil State Official (the person recording the event)
- Dichiarante: Declarant (the person reporting the event, e.g., the father, a midwife)
- Testimoni: Witnesses
- Cognome: Surname
- Nome: Given Name
- Fu: Deceased (used to indicate that a person, often a parent, is no longer living, e.g., “figlio del fu Giuseppe” means “son of the deceased Giuseppe”)
- Vico: Street or alley
Decoding Birth Records (Atti di Nascita)
Birth records are incredibly detailed. Look for these terms to pull out the key facts.
(…Giovanni Russo appeared, aged 30, peasant, to declare that at 2 o’clock this morning, from his wife Maria Greco… a male child was born to whom he gives the name Paolo.)
- Nato / Nata: Born (masculine / feminine)
- Alle ore…: At the hour of…
- Sesso maschile / Sesso femminile: Male sex / Female sex
- Padre: Father
- Madre: Mother
- Figlio / Figlia di: Son / Daughter of
- Genitori: Parents
- Moglie / Marito: Wife / Husband
- Levatrice: Midwife
- Battesimo: Baptism
- Gemelli: Twins
(…Giovanni Russo appeared, aged 30, peasant, to declare that at 2 o’clock this morning, from his wife Maria Greco… a male child was born to whom he gives the name Paolo.)
Understanding Marriage Records (Atti di Matrimonio)
Marriage records connect two families. They are essential for extending your family tree sideways.
- Matrimonio / Sposalizio: Marriage / Wedding
- Sposo: Groom
- Sposa: Bride
- Celibe / Nubile: Bachelor / Spinster (unmarried man / unmarried woman)
- Vedovo / Vedova: Widower / Widow
- Consenso: Consent (often given by the parents of the bride and groom)
- Pubblicazioni: Banns (the public announcement of the intent to marry)
Are you looking at a document you just can’t decipher? Our experts can translate and analyze your key records, uncovering details you might have missed.
Interpreting Death Records (Atti di Morte)
Death records are crucial for confirming dates and finding clues about a person’s life and family.
Morte: Death
Morto / Morta: Died (masculine / feminine)
Defunto: Deceased
Età: Age
Luogo di nascita: Place of birth
Domiciliato a: Residing at
Cimitero / Camposanto: Cemetery
Sepolto / Sepolta: Buried (masculine / feminine)
Causa della morte: Cause of death (often not listed or very generic)
A Note on Latin in Church Records
When you venture into parish registers from before 1820, you will find that most are written in Latin. While a full Latin glossary is extensive, here are a few of the most critical terms to get you started.
- Matrimonio / Sposalizio: Marriage / Wedding
- Sposo: Groom
- Sposa: Bride
- Celibe / Nubile: Bachelor / Spinster (unmarried man / unmarried woman)
- Vedovo / Vedova: Widower / Widow
- Consenso: Consent (often given by the parents of the bride and groom)
- Pubblicazioni: Banns (the public announcement of the intent to marry)
