Genealogy in Formia
Tracing your Italian roots back to Formia (in Latina province, Lazio region) begins with understanding which records 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 Formia.
Formia family history at a glance
- Region: Lazio
- Province: Latina
- Type of records: civil and parish records
- Civil registration: from the 19th century onwards (Papal States / post-unification)
- Parish records: often older than civil records (in some cases from the 1600s)
Research experience on families in Formia
Over the years, ItalianSide has conducted genealogy research on historical families from Formia, involving many surnames traditionally found in the town, including branches of the following families: Scipione, Cardillo, Ciccolella, D’Urso, Forcina, Durso, Masiello, Forte, Lombardi, Filosa, Di Nucci, De Meo, Centola, Valerio and others.
Many records relating to families and individuals are already stored in our databases and include, in addition to names and dates, further information such as occupations, residential addresses, and key family and social relationships within the Formia community in past centuries.
Part of the information used by ItalianSide in genealogy research derives from a proprietary archive of on-site research conducted over many years in Formia and by our experts. This archive includes studies, family trees, and data not available online, such as cross-referenced family relationships, occupational histories, deciphered or translated documents, residential patterns, and visual documentation.
Research activities may include all major sources available at municipal, provincial, and regional level:
• civil records
• parish registers
• notarial archives
• military records
• historical and photographic sources
Direct access to archives and a deep understanding of the local context allow for more complete and accurate results than research conducted remotely or based on partial sources alone. Research may be carried out using all available sources in both public and private archives.
Genealogy in Formia
If your ancestors came from Formia, in Latina province (Lazio region), the first step is to identify the local archives where records are kept. Most family history research starts from the civil registry office at the Comune and continues in parish and notary archives.
Where to begin your ancestry journey in Formia
Vital records for people born, married or deceased in Formia are usually preserved in:
- Formia City Hall archives: civil records (births, marriages, deaths) from 1809 onwards.
- Formia parish churches: in Lazio religious registers, which can often take your research back to the 1600s and sometimes as far as the 1500s.
Civil Records (Stato Civile) in Formia
In the areas of Lazio that were part of the Papal States, including Latina province, civil registration offices were gradually established during the 19th century and after Italian unification. This means you can often find your ancestors’ civil records in the Town Hall archives of Formia starting from those years (the exact starting year can change from town to town).
This means you can often find your ancestors’ civil records in the Town Hall archives of Formia from that year onwards.
(If your goal is to obtain Italian citizenship and you need official certificates from Formia, please follow this link.)
If your ancestors lived in Formia during the past centuries, the City Office of Formia 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 Formia.
- 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.
Street names in Formia
The names of the street in Formia, can help identify ancestral addresses found in civil records, parish documents, and old family papers.
At today, some of the main streets in Formia are: VIA APPIA LATO NAPOLI, VIA ROTABILE, VIA VITRUVIO, VIA PALAZZO, VIA DEGLI ORTI, VIA ANGELO RUBINO, VIA FERDINANDO LAVANGA, VIA DELLE VIGNE, LUNGOMARE CITTA’ DI FERRARA, VIA ABATE TOSTI, VIA ADALGISO FERRUCCI, VIA GIANOLA, VIA ALCIDE DE GASPERI, VIA FOSSO DEGLI ULIVI, VIA MADONNE DELLE GRAZIE, VIA VINDICIO, VIA FARANO, VIA CARLO FILOSA, VIA PONTERITTO, VIA DON LUIGI STURZO and others.
If you want help to identify street names connected with your ancestors in Formia just follow the link below.
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 Lazio and specifically in Formia.
Population trends in Formia
The chart below shows the demographic trends in Formia 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 Formia
Church archives in Latina 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 Lazio, 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 Formia on your behalf and reconstruct your family history through the centuries.
In case you want to visit churches, these are the addresses of parishes active today in Formia:
CUORE EUCARISTICO DI GESU’ – Via Provinciale Cassino Formia
CUORE IMMACOLATO DI MARIA – Via Appia Lato Napoli
MADONNA DEL CARMINE – Via Rubino
RISURREZIONE DI NOSTRO SIGNORE GESU’ CRISTO – 04023 FORMIA LT
S. ANDREA APOSTOLO – Via Supportico, 2
S. CATERINA V. M. – Via Capo la Porta
S. ERASMO V. M. – P.zza S. Erasmo
S. GIUSEPPE LAVORATORE – Via Rio Fresco
S. LUCA EVANGELISTA – 04023 MARANOLA LT
S. TERESA D’AVILA – P.zza S. Teresa
SACRO CUORE DI GESU’ – 04023 VINDICIO DI FORMIA LT
SANTI LORENZO E GIOVANNI BATTISTA – P.zza S. Giovanni
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.
Historical and photographic sources available in private archives
Historical photographs, prints, and documents from private collections—including ItalianSide’s archive of vintage images from Formia and Lazio 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.
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 Formia
Historical cadastral and land records used to identify property ownership, track real estate transfers over time, and confirm the historical presence of families within Formia. ItalianSide provides professional assistance in accessing and interpreting these records, where available.
Planning a visit to Formia
From our experience, if you plan to visit Formia 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.
With the results collected by our genealogist before your trip, you will have more time to enjoy the town and its surroundings, walking in the footsteps of your ancestors.
Professional help for research in Formia
If you need professional support from our local genealogist in the Formia area, write to formia@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 Formia
Here below you can read messages from other visitors in the Formia forum. If you simply want to discuss genealogy in Formia with other people, feel free to leave a message.
I am looking for the CIANO family who I believe came from Formia
Hoping someone can help.
Looking for information on my grandmothers family. She was born 1923- Madeleine Nighelli and settled in Somerville, Ma. Her fathers name was Corrado Nighelli and he married Louisa Greco. Corrado,s mom was Eleanor DiRusso. His father was supposedly Miele family who had a tobacco store or company. They never married but planned to- he passed away before that happened supposedly. My grandmother just turned 95 years old and we recently did her DNA test. She said the family was from Formia.
My paternal grandfather (so I’m told) served as a Blackshirt in the anti-aircraft detachments, his surname was Forte, unfortunately I don’t know his first name. He apparently died of malaria in 1943. Is it better to try and trace through military records or the local Formia records as that was his home town? Thanks for any help from anyone!
My husband’s grandfather, Michael Simione’s records say he was born in Formia, italy on 10/5/1880. Are there any records of his birth, baptism, etc. There is some question within the family as to where he was born and when I found this info on line I wanted to check it out. Thanks so much for the help
My grandfather was born in formia I had the pleasure of going there and love the beautiful town. My grandfather was young when he came to the U S his family name DeMEO.
Hi,
what was your grandfathers name?
The uncle of my father moved to the US in the 20s – 30s of the 20th century.
Looking for family members wth name denirio demeo my grandfather born 1885 came to America and took demeo as last name he married Maria annotti in Italy she was born in 1889 had cousins named Michael forte pl respond
My grandfather, Silvestro Bongelli was born in Formia, Italy, on January 1, 1900. His parents were not married. His father was a landowner with kids of his own. His mother was the governess of this man’s children. This man’s wife was dead, but his family did not want him to marry my grandfather’s mother because of all the property and possessions he had. But they lived together and had 5 kids together. But as each kid was born, the government chose last names for the kids because the father did not want his name on the birth certificate. There were 3 boys and 2 girls. The girls were kept at home and the boys were put in foster homes. My grandfather’s foster mother’s name was Filomena Maria Vento. I do not know his real mother’s name nor his father’s real name. So it is impossible for me to look anything up. I do know that his real brother’s name was Georgio and the government gave him a last name of Capi. He was born in March of 1903. Apparently when a child was born out of wedlock way back then, the government just picked a last name for the kid. My grandmother told me that the government started with the letter A in January and just kept going on down the alphabet picking last names for the kids. Is there any way I can backtrack this information? I am having no luck on any sites and I don’t have much information to go on. Can you please help me or point me in the right direction.
Hello Teresa
Giorgio was my grandfather and I have some information email me
My husband’s D’Urso family was from Formia and Maranola. His grandfather was Carlo D’Urso who was married to Filomena (maiden name unknown). They had 8 children. Lizette, the eldest daughter, who remained in Italy, Mary who married Gerrardo Nocella and came to Cohoes, N.Y., Vincenzino, who remained in Italy, Elia, who married Olinda Simone, Giacinto, who remained in Italy and may have been a Priest, Judy ?, who remained in Italy, Cirillo Alfredo (Alfred) who came to Cambridge, N.Y., Livio Tito or possibly Tito Livio – he always went by Livio, but one ship’s passenger record says Tito Livio.
I’m working on the family tree and would love to know Filomena’s maiden name, her parents names, Carlo’s parents names, existing relatives, family history and stories. Any information you could give me would be wonderful to have.
Update – Filomena’s maiden name was Aceto. Now, I’m looking for her parents and Carlo’s parents. Also, my husband said the he is related to Sister Ambrogina (Filomena D’Urso) He thought his father, Livio D’Urso might have been her Uncle but he was not certain about this. Who are her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents?
Thank you!
My name is Giuseppe De Meo ( Joseph ) in English, was born at Trivio, Prov, Latina, Lazio, Italy 16 ,February, 1948, trying to find my roots of my grandfather ,born in Maranola, near by where my father Livio was born, was ther at Formia in August, 2012 asked for records at Formia and told me to came back in September, came from Canada ,on vacation and they told me to come back in September, no explanation, want to know about my grandfather, Giuseppe De Meo and grandmother Vittoria D’urso in De Meo and further back, if you can help. maybe address in Formia to write.
Joseph, My grandfather, Antonio De Meo was born in Castellonorato in 1891 and had a brother named Joseph (Guisseppe) and a sister Concetta who married a Di Paulo. I believe he could not speak or hear. He was alive as late as the 1990’s as my father met Joseph when he was on holiday from the US around 1995. I have no other information about my grandfather’s family. If you think we have common ancestors maybe we can work together to help each other in our searches.
Regards,
Greg
Hi Joseph,
My great grandfather was also named Guiseppe DeMeo (no space was used in the US, though that may have been a result of immigration). My grandfather, who lived until 2017 was Roy. He had a sister Frances. I have heard that the family is from Formia, and I believe a few of them still live there. I will be hopefully visiting in October and would love to see about finding some baptism records to try to make a case for dual citizenship. I do speak Italian, so an archive wouldn’t be as difficult to navigate as it might be for others. I have heard that there are lots of DeMeo in Formia and would like to know a little more. There is a family photo from 2000 from a distant family member who visited who found the house my great grandfather was born in.
Our Paternal Grandfather was named Pietro DiRusso was born in Formia and came to America. His parents were Luigi DiRusso & Theresa Mortana. We know there were many family members and that many were killed in WWII. We are looking for family members.
My father Paolo Zangrillo was born in Formia Italy on April 1,1942. He had a sister Joann and another sister that died as an infant. Their parents names were Giovanni Zangrillo and Anna Bove. They lived down the block from San Giovanni church and the tower. Their apartment was bombed during ww2 when they went to the mountains for protection. Giovanni Zangrillo died when a staircase from building collapsed on him when he went to get some supplies for his family. His body was not found right away.
My father Paolo does not have any information on his father or if he has any living relatives in Formia since his mother moved to America when he was a child.
Bonjour
Tous mes ancêtres paternels NOCELLA sont natifs de la commune de FORMIA ,plus particulierement de Castellone di Gaeta ,je connais les noms mais je n’ai pas les dates de naissances exactes et ne peux avoir les documents .
Il en ai de même pour mes ancêtres maternels TREGLIA tous nés a MARANOLA ,mon grand pere Rocco TREGLIA di Saverio est mort aux combats en 1918 ,son nom est inscrit sur le monument aux mots de la Grande Guerre a MARANOLA .Cordialement :NOCCELA
Good Day, My Grandmother, Gelsomina Paone was born in Formia, Prov. Latina on June 8, 1898 and died on March 3, 1937. I would like to know if I can receive her birth and death certificate. Thank you, Gina
My father’s family may come from Formia. Esramo Santo or Santa .Arrived in NYC around 1895
Hello,
My grandfather, Anthony John Gravino, was born in Formia, Italy. I have two different dates of birth for him and don’t know which is correct – February 11,1912 or March 23,1912. His parents were Frank Gravino and Rosalia Persico.
I am interested in obtaining copies of any records regarding his birth as well as information on his parents and any additional family members.
Hi There!!!
You can not know how happy i am to find you and your web site!!! I was near to discourage myself after sending tenish of emails to get some infos about my ancestors!!
I do not speak or understand italian language so it is very hard to continue to think that one day i will complete my italian side family tree!!!
My great parents father side are italians (most of them) My ancestors are born in Formia Guisseppe CIARLONE (12/08/1855 FORMIA- 31/01/1924 HYERES in France. I found the name of his father Pierre CIARLONE ans his mother Anna FINNARA. And here stop my research couldn’t go further. Guisseppe had a wife Victoria SCIPIONE (1869 FORMIA-BEFORE1924) her father was Raphael SCIPIONE and her mother Faustine RANGRELLO but i haven’t any date for those people.
If there is any chance to get your help to complete my family tree i would be very grateful.
Thanks for reading me and hope to get some news or advices from you.
Sincerely
Audrey