Genealogy in Ari
Tracing your Italian roots back to Ari (in Chieti province, Abruzzo region) begins with understanding which records and documents exist and where they are preserved. On this page you’ll find a clear guide to the civil, parish and historical sources available for genealogy in Ari.
Ari family history at a glance
- Region: Abruzzo
- Province: Chieti
- Type of records: civil and parish records
- Civil registration: from 1809 onwards
- Parish records: often older than civil records (in some cases from the 1500s)
How to research your ancestry in Ari
Thanks to its network of local experts, Italianside has developed significant experience in genealogical research in the province of Chieti. For this reason, over the years it has become a reliable reference for those wishing to reconnect with their Italian roots and could be a key partner in the success of your research too. You can read the feedbacks of our customers on our testimonials page
Our experts in Abruzzo region, conducted genealogy research on historical families from Ari, involving many surnames traditionally found in the town, including branches of the following families: Di Pietro, Pierdomenico, Santone, Pellegrini, Volpe, Di Rito, Iannotti, Centofanti, D’Alessandro, Caldarone, Savo, Mecoli, Salerno, Di Felice and others.
Many info relating to families and individuals available in public and private local archives include, in addition to names and dates, further information such as occupations, the address where family lived (a great info if you plan to visit Ari!), and key social relationships within the community in past centuries.
The information in genealogy research derives from the archives available for on-site research in Ari and Abruzzo. During the previous activities, our local genealogists already developed studies, family trees, cross-referenced family relationships, occupational histories, deciphered or translated documents, residential patterns, and visual documentation useful to add information now forgotten to the history of your family.
Research activities may include all major sources available at municipal, provincial, and regional level:
• civil records
• parish registers
• notarial archives
• military records
• cadastral and property records
• historical and photographic sources available in private archives
Direct access to local archives and a deep understanding of the local context allow for more complete and accurate results. Research may be carried out using all available sources in both public and private archives.
ItalianSide research: Beyond Names and Dates
Italian genealogy is deeply local. It can’t be reduced only about collecting birth and death dates.
In Abruzzo, every municipality — including Ari — has its own archival history, record‑keeping traditions, and unique documentary sources. This is why Italianside is able to help you in your Italian ancestry research, through a national network of local experts, each specialized in the archives of their specific territory.
Our researcher who works in Ari and in the Province of Chieti knows how to navigate local civil, parish, military, and notarial records, uncovering details that go far beyond basic dates. By combining national coordination and methodology with deep local expertise, our researcher will bring your ancestors’ stories back to life within the history of the Ari community.
Civil Records (Stato Civile) in Ari
In towns and villages of Abruzzo and in Chieti province, civil registration offices were established in 1809. This means you can often find your ancestors’ civil records in the Town Hall archives of Ari from that year onwards.
(If your goal is to obtain Italian citizenship and you need official certificates from Ari, please follow this link.)
If you know that your ancestors lived in Ari during the past centuries, the City Office of Ari is usually the first place to start your family research. Our local expert can access these records on your behalf and interpret them correctly.
- Professions: discover what your ancestors did for a living.
- Addresses: find the street or house where the family lived in Ari.
- Family links: identify parents, witnesses and neighbours that appear in the records.
- Signatures and notes: see how your ancestors signed and read any marginal annotations.
If you prefer to contact the Town Hall by yourself, we suggest reading our genealogy tips for Italy. They include practical advice for research in Abruzzo and specifically in Ari.
Street names in Ari
The names of the street in Ari, can help identify ancestral addresses found in civil records, parish documents, and old family papers.
At today, some of the main streets in Ari are: VIA SAN PIETRO, VIA SANTA MARIA, VIA SANT’ANTONIO, VIA FORO, VIA PIANAGRANDE, VIA DELLA LIBERAZIONE, VIA TURRI, VIA CURCI, LARGO SAN SALVATORE, VIA PAPA GIOVANNI VENTITREESIMO, VIA RUELLA, PIAZZA BUCCIANTE, VIA GALILEO GALILEI, VIA GABRIELE E DELMO ADEZIO and others.
If you want help to identify street names connected with your ancestors in Ari just follow the link below.
Population trends in Ari
The chart below shows the demographic trends in Ari from the Italian Unification (1861). Understanding how many people lived in the town over time is useful when interpreting migration and family movements.

Church Records in Ari
Church archives in Chieti province often preserve information that predates civil records. Parish registers include baptisms, marriages and burials and sometimes allow you to push your family tree back into the 1700s and 1600s.
In many areas of Abruzzo, parish registers began around the 1500s. These manuscripts are not easy to access from abroad and can be hard to read without specific training.
Our local genealogists, graduated in history and archival studies, can consult the parish archives of Ari on your behalf and reconstruct your family history through the centuries.
Planning a visit to Ari
From our experience, if you plan to visit Ari we always recommend starting the research months before your arrival. This way you avoid spending your holidays in offices or churches dealing with bureaucracy.
Remember that archives are not open to the general public and officers or priests are not required by law to grant direct access to the records.
Thanks to the findings gathered by our genealogist before your trip, and the help of our local guides, you’ll have more time to plan the exact locations (family homes, churches, streets, cemeteries, etc.) you’ll visit during your stay in the city.
This way, you can enjoy the city and its surroundings, following in the footsteps of your ancestors for an unforgettable journey back to your roots.
Street names in Ari
The names of the street in Ari, can help identify ancestral addresses found in civil records, parish documents, and old family papers.
At today, some of the main streets in Ari are: VIA SAN PIETRO, VIA SANTA MARIA, VIA SANT’ANTONIO, VIA FORO, VIA PIANAGRANDE, VIA DELLA LIBERAZIONE, VIA TURRI, VIA CURCI, LARGO SAN SALVATORE, VIA PAPA GIOVANNI VENTITREESIMO, VIA RUELLA, PIAZZA BUCCIANTE, VIA GALILEO GALILEI, VIA GABRIELE E DELMO ADEZIO and others.
If you want help to identify street names connected with your ancestors in Ari just follow the link below.
Notary records and other historical sources
Another important source of information is represented by notary documents, which preserve wills, dowries, property sales and contracts. These records are usually kept in provincial and State Archives and can provide valuable details on the social and economic life of your family.
Military records
Conscription lists and service records documenting physical descriptions, dates and places of enlistment, units and ranks held, periods of service, military postings, transfers, and movements, often providing detailed insight into an individual’s life beyond civil registration.
Cadastral and property records in Ari
Historical cadastral and land records used to identify property ownership, track real estate transfers over time, and confirm the historical presence of families within Ari. ItalianSide provides professional assistance in accessing and interpreting these records, where available.
Historical and photographic sources available in private archives
Historical photographs, prints, and documents from private collections—including ItalianSide’s archive of vintage images from Ari and Abruzzo region are available. Old pictures add significant value to your family history research and offer a real sense of the places where your ancestors once lived.

Professional help for research in Ari
If you need professional support from our local genealogist in the Ari area, write to ari@italianside.com or fill the form here. Our expert will study your request and reply with a research plan and a quote tailored to your family history.
Messages from other visitors in Ari
Here below you can read messages from other visitors in the Ari forum. If you simply want to discuss genealogy in Ari with other people, feel free to leave a message.







Hi,
My Nonna Ginetta (Gina) and her family is from Ari, Chieti. Although she is relatively young she struggles to give detail as she left when she was very young.
her father and mother were Ettore and Emelia D’Alesandro.
They had three children, first born Ginetta (Gina), second born Louisa, third born Remo.
My Nonna Ginetta (Gina) was born on 16/4/1947.
When my Nonna was thirteen her mother Emelia died. The nuns arranged for my Nonna and her two younger siblings to fly from Italy to Melbourne, because that was were Ettore D’Alesandro was at the time, trying to earn a living to bring them over.
Therefore my Nonna does not have a birth certificate, nor did she or her siblings have passports. It was all arranged by the consulate.
I would love to be able to attain the birth certificate of my Nonna Ginetta and the cause of death for her mother Emelia. can you please help me?
thanks
Gina
My grandfather Pascual D’ alesandro emigrated from Ari to Argentina, born in 1907. Maybe we are related….
I am planning a visit to Ari in September and would like to search for my ancestors named D’Amore
My Grandfather was Umberto D ‘Amore, married to Eleanora DeRentiis
Would appreciate any assistance
My English ancestor, Henry Talbot Wilson (born UK 1838, died Rome 1912), came to live in Rome in 1890 with his English wife and 2 daughters. All died in Italy and are buried at the Protestant Cemetery in Rome. One daughter Ina Talbot Wilson, born 1880 in USA, married a Dr D’Alessandro of Ari, Abruzzo, and had a child Camillo. Ina died in 1907 in Ari. I would like to find out about the D’Alessandro side of the family and what happened to Camillo and his descendants.
hi! i know mi family is originally from ari, chieti and im looking for our original coat of arms if we have one. my great grand parents came to argentina where i live. it;d be great if you have any information about this, thank you!
Dear Veronica, I just found your post here. My grandfather, Rocco D’Alessandro, came from Ari,Chieti Italy to the USA around 1913 give or take a few years. He had brothers who went to Argentina at the same time. Their names were Giovanni (John
Hi Veronica,
I tried to answer your post back in 2017 and just thought I’d try again. I live in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA, a suburb of Philadelphia. My grandfather, Rocco D’Alessandro immigrated to USA in 1917 from Ari, Chieti, Italy. He had 5 brothers in total and 2 of them went to Argentina in the early 20th century. One was named Giavaninno (John) D’Alessandro and the other was named Guiseppe (Peppino) D’Alessandro. I’m wondering if either of these two men might have been your ancestors. I have tried to locate a D’Alessandro coat of arms and haven’t really had any success. If you want to find out more about your ancestry, go to Italianside.com on the internet. There is a page there about searching genology in Ari, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy. I do know there were a substantial number of D’Alessandro’s that left Italy for either USA or Argentina in the 1st half of the 20th century.
Sincerely,
Merle Elizabeth
P.S. Rocco, my grandfather, was born in 1897. His parents were Alfonso Antonio D’Alessandro and Eugenia Salerno (D’Alessandro). He would be 123 years old now! I am 74 , my children are all in their 40’s and my grandchildren range in age from 17 to 9.
Hi Merle,
my grandfather was one of the four brothers who came to US. Sebastiano, Rocco and my grandfather Manlio (Leo) and Nicola.
the other two brothers were younger, Giovannino born 1905 and Guiseppe (or Joseph) in 1912.
Marrieta was the only female , born 1907. My mother met her in Ari years ago. I have photos of her and my mother.
I had no info on where the younger brothers ended up going till now. Interesting it was Argentinia.
I have done a good bit of research on the ancestry .
Mike
My mother was Virginia “Jean”