If you search your ancestors in Riesi, in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicilia region, the documents about your Italian family are stored in the City Office archives and in the parishes in the town.
Civil Records in Riesi
In towns and villages of Sicilia and in Caltanissetta province registry offices were established in 1809: it means that you could find your ancestors records in Riesi town hall archives as of that date.
(If your goal is to claim your Italian Dual Citizenship in Riesi follow this link).
So, if your ancestors lived in Riesi during the past centuries, then you should start your family research from the City Office of Riesi to know more: our local expert is ready to help you in your research!
Otherwise, if you think to contact the town hall by yourself, we suggest you to read our tips for your search. They are useful to search in Sicilia and of course in Riesi too!
Next picture shows the demographic trends in Riesi from the Italian Unification(1861).
This is a necessary info to understand how many people lived in the town in the past.
To proceed faster with your research is important to know if the last name you are investigating is a frequent surname in Riesi. As more your surname is common, as more it could be difficult to find the right branch of your ancestors family in Riesi archives, expecially if you have not exact dates.
It could be useful for you to know that some of the most common surnames in Caltanissetta province are:
Alessi, Amato, Amico, Anzalone, Burgio, Cammarata, Caruso, Cascino, Catalano, Di Dio, Falzone, Faraci, Ferrara, Ferrigno, Giannone, Giardina, Giordano, Giunta, Greco, Licata, Lombardo, Macaluso, Mancuso, Marino, Martorana, Mastrosimone, Messina, Milazzo, Mistretta, Morreale, Nicosia, Noto, Palermo, Palumbo, Piazza, Polizzi, Riggi, Rizzo, Romano, Russo, Sanfilippo, Scicolone, Sorce, Spinello, Valenza, Vella, Ventura, Vullo.
Church Records in Riesi
Church archives in Caltanissetta province may store even older information. You will find religious records of the same events (births, marriages and deaths) but, most important, you could go further back in time!
So in case you would like to go back in centuries, it’s good for you to know that the parish registers in Caltanissetta started during 1500!
They are far less accessible from abroad (and even not easy to browse and to read if you are not used and skilled) but our local genealogist can research the church archives of Riesi on your behalf.
In case you want to visit churches, these are the addresses of parishes active today in Riesi:
MARIA SS. DELLA CATENA- CHIESA MADRE – Via Garibaldi
S. GIOVANNI BOSCO – Via Circonvallazione
SS. SALVATORE – Via Ss. Salvatore
SS. SALVATORE – Via Ss. Salvatore
Anyway for our experience, even if you plan to come here, we always suggest to start the research months before the arrival: in this way you will avoid to waste time in the offices or in the churches dealing with italian bureaucracy and you will have more free time to visit the town and surroundings on your ancestors footsteps, starting from the info gathered by our genealogists.
Another important source of information are the notary documents available to expert researchers in the National archive in Caltanissetta.
If you are in Sicily and you are able to decipher old italian handwritten documents you can reach the archive here:
Archivio di Stato di Caltanissetta
Address: via P. Borsellino, 2/2a – Caltanissetta
Phone: +390934591600
Days and opening hours: mon, wed, thu, sat: 8,00 – 13,30; tue, fri: 8,00 – 18,00 weekly closing: Sunday; no reservation
If you need a professional help from our local genealogists write to riesi@italianside.com or follow this link.
Our expert in Riesi area will study your request and will reply to you with a plan and a quote for your family research.
Here below you can read the messages received from other visitors in Riesi forum:
if you only want to discuss with other people interested in genealogy in Riesi feel free to leave a message below.
Hi my name isFrancesca Giuliana . And I’m looking for information about my family. My dad was born in Riesi , on the 22/12 /1922 . And my grandfather was also born in riesi .
Apparently I have found out that my great grandmother was Giuseppa Giuliana.
She was married to my great grandfather, Rocco Guarnaccia, and they had my grandfather, Giuseppe Guarnaccia.
She then married, Cologero Cinardo after my great grand father died.
Any information on The Giuliana’s, Lauricella’s ( my grandmother was from Riesi as well) or Guarnaccia’s from Riesi would be appreciated
Miss spelling on my grandmother’s last name it Pascia and her mother’s was Concetta
I am working on my family tree and in doing some research i found out I have family still residing in riesi that may be connected to my father his father left sicily in the late 1800 too early 1900 his name was Giuseppe Alfonso & his wife Palma Pascoe they had 4 children when they left also in my research I found his mother’s name is Concerts Alfonso could not find maiden name of his father. If anyone out there could help me i would appreciate it.
Hello,
I happened upon this site because I was looking up Riesi, Sicily trying to find information on my father and Geandparents, My father was born in Riesi Sicily in 1904 to Phillipe Tardanico (DOB approx 1880) and Rosaria Rindone. They came to the U S A in 1912 with four children and settled in Boston MA. On a trip to Italy many years ago, we traveled to Riesi and connected with a family named Tardanico. We are not sure if we are related and we didn’t have time to check records at the church or registry on my grandparents. I want to pass on information to my children and grandchildren. I was told by my Mother that my grandfather Philippe was an orphan which really complicates my research. Lots of family is deceased, but, if anyone has information or knowledge of the Tardanico’s or Rindone’s it would certainly be appreciated.
Thank you
Lorraine Tardanico W
My family knew the Tardanico family from Medford, MA. Russ (Rosario) was a barber. He was married to Rina (Venerina) and they had one daughter, Julie. Good luck with your search.
Hi Lorraine:
My grandfather, Salvatore Tardanico, was born in Riesi in the 1880s. I am told that he had at least one brother and that might be your grandfather. My father, Salvatore Jr., was also born in Riesi around 1904-1906. He too came to Boston around 1911. When my parents were first married, they lived on Pompeii Street in Roxbury for about 16 years. I remember them speaking about the Rindone family that also lived on that street. My sisters are Rita Lombardo of Needham, MA (87 years old) and Frances Mazzarini of Franklin, MA (83 years). My name is Ronald (73 years old) and I live in Waccabuc, NY. We are quite possibly cousins…hope this helps.
I am trying to locate my family, My grandfather was Salvatore Volpe, born 4/23/1891 Riesi Sicily Came to the United States around 1930? he lived in Boston, Mass. My Grandmother was Lauria Martello born 11/7/1901, also from Riesi Sicily. They married in Boston Massachusetts. Unfortunately all of my family has passed away so I have no other information. I am hoping you can assist me ……Thank you Domenic
Hi, Dominic. I just started doing some research on my ancestry, and came across your message. My grandfather and grandmother were both from Riesi, born in 1987, and immigrated to Boston in the early 1900’s. My grandfather’s (and my) last name is Lauria. I wonder if there’s any connection.
I have hit a dead end in researching my grandmothers side of the family. My great grandfather’s name was ANTONIO D’ALEO and the information I have was that he was born in Riesi in 1874 and died in 1901. He married FRANCESCA CASCIANA (not sure about the spelling of her last name) and she was born in 1878. They had three children, THOMAS, CONCETTA and GAETANA. I would like to find out more about the family history including what may have happened to FRANCESCA after ANTONIO died. Can you help me find out more information about the great grandparents? Thank you so much! Antonia.
Hi John … I went to Riesi and found my grandmother’s grave and discovered there are a substantial amount of Buttiglieris in Riesi; I didn’t realise that married ladies kept their own surnames although they take the surname of their fathers …. Thank you for posting your family info.
My Grandmother was Laura Buttiglieri. Had sisters named Mary and Josie (not sure what it was short for) Laura was born aprox 1893. Came to US around 1913. Had a brother Sam. Not sure if it helps.
My mother was GIUSEPPINA BUTTIGLIERI and her sister was THERESA (married CAPIZZI) with other sisters CONCETTA and LAURA; there were brothers too …. SALVATORE being the eldest in the family and taking my mother to BOLOGNA in order that she could study to become a Surgeon at Bologna University. My grandmother was THERESA (CREMONA before marriage) who died in the early 1960s. Her husband SALVATORE and his father died on exactly the same day. I am told that they were an important family with their own coat of arms and I presumed that this means he was a Calvalieri or otherwise. I should like to find more of the history and build a family tree. Can you assist me? Many thanks, Laila
I am looking to build a family tree to pass on to my kids. I was wondering what this would cost? I have purchased a program to start, so I would have a portion of the tree compiled as a starting point. I know my family is all from Riesi from both my mother and fathers side. I live in Boston so I have limited access to documents over seas. Thank you