Genealogy in Gaeta
Tracing your Italian roots back to Gaeta (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 Gaeta.
Gaeta 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 Gaeta
Over the years, ItalianSide has conducted genealogy research on historical families from Gaeta, involving many surnames traditionally found in the town, including branches of the following families: Leccese, Ciano, Valente, Viola, Buonomo, Di Nitto, Fantasia, Spinosa, Magliozzi, Simeone, Capobianco, Mitrano, Nardone, Vellucci 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 Gaeta 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 Gaeta 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 Gaeta
If your ancestors came from Gaeta, 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 Gaeta
Vital records for people born, married or deceased in Gaeta are usually preserved in:
- Gaeta City Hall archives: civil records (births, marriages, deaths) from 1809 onwards.
- Gaeta 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 Gaeta
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 Gaeta 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 Gaeta from that year onwards.
(If your goal is to obtain Italian citizenship and you need official certificates from Gaeta, please follow this link.)
If your ancestors lived in Gaeta during the past centuries, the City Office of Gaeta 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 Gaeta.
- 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 Gaeta
The names of the street in Gaeta, can help identify ancestral addresses found in civil records, parish documents, and old family papers.
At today, some of the main streets in Gaeta are: LUNGOMARE GIOVANNI CABOTO, VIA EUROPA, VIA SANT’AGOSTINO, VIA ATRATINA, CORSO ITALIA, VIA MONTE TORTONA, VIA GASTONE MARESCA, VIA ROMA, CORSO CAVOUR, VIA GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI, VIA FONTANIA, VIA MONTE GRAPPA, VIA GUGLIELMO MARCONI, VIA BEGANI, VIA CADUTI SUL MARE, VIA MARINA DI SERAPO, VIA CALEGNA, VIA SAN NILO, VIA SAN GIACOMO, VIA ANNUNZIATA and others.
If you want help to identify street names connected with your ancestors in Gaeta 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 Gaeta.
Population trends in Gaeta
The chart below shows the demographic trends in Gaeta 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 Gaeta
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 Gaeta 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 Gaeta:
MARIA SS. ASSUNTA IN CIELO – P.zza Duomo
S. BIAGIO V. M. – Via S. Francesco
S. CARLO BORROMEO – Via Litoranea
S. GIACOMO APOSTOLO – Via Indipendenza
S. NILO ABATE – Via Roma
S. PAOLO APOSTOLO – P.zza Trieste
S. STEFANO PROTOMARTIRE – Via dei Frassini, 21
SANTI COSMA E DAMIANO – Sal. degli Scalzi
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 Gaeta 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 Gaeta
Historical cadastral and land records used to identify property ownership, track real estate transfers over time, and confirm the historical presence of families within Gaeta. ItalianSide provides professional assistance in accessing and interpreting these records, where available.
Planning a visit to Gaeta
From our experience, if you plan to visit Gaeta 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 Gaeta
If you need professional support from our local genealogist in the Gaeta area, write to gaeta@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 Gaeta
Here below you can read messages from other visitors in the Gaeta forum. If you simply want to discuss genealogy in Gaeta with other people, feel free to leave a message.
I will be visiting Italy next year with my 7 siblings and we hope to visit Gaeta where my grandmother was both. Her name was Vincenza DiPirro born 20 September 1905 in Gaeta. We would love to find out more about her for places to see such as former addresses in Gaeta, affiliated church or any other places of significance. We are also hoping to work toward Italian citizenship through her line as after immigrating to the USA she did not become a U.S. citizen until after all of her children were born whereas our grandfather became a U.S. citizen before his children were born.
Mt father was born on April 15, 1905, and lived in Gaeta, His name is Raymond Dell’Ova, which became Dellovo when he came to America.
I would like some sort of estimated cost to find documents of my great great grandmother born in 1846 and emigrated in 1903 , I am in America and have documented many relatives in Gaeta but no specific information beyond her birth and association to my second great grandfather and my great grandfather. Could someone email me? Just to give me an idea , grazie
Well I’ll give it a try, My 2nd great grandparents all born in Gaeta emigrated to the U.S. from 1894 to 1903. Like many, there are many dna relations, its very hard. My 2nd great grandfather is Pietro Ventura b.circa 1837-50, his wife Loretta Buonaugurio Magliozzi b 1847-49, and their son Peter (or Pietro) b.circa 1882. Funny thing is seems no direct dna trace to Ventura, possible adoption at Pietro’s father’s level Francesco or most likely his grandfather Pietro level as i do have a dna connection to Macera. Loretta’s situation is complicated i have dna connection to Buonagurio and Magliozzi, have documents of her imigration as well as Nicolo Buonaugurio, and housed with Peter and her nephew Pasquale in Somerville mass. If anyone has information i would more than greatly appreciate, for Pietro, and Loretta. I need to know my identity , who is Pietro Ventura? There actually seems to be a Loretta Buonaugurio being married to a Magliozzi the year Peter is born circa 1882, this not appear to be my Loretta? confusing is there another exact name in Gaeta born same year? divorced and remarried ? Pietro died in 1911 in america, although it looks like he emigrated quite a few years before her. Thank yoy!
I’ve hit a brickwall on bother sides, both from Gaeta. My 4th great grandfather, Antonio Antetomaso married to Faustina Fantasia that had 4 children born in Borgo di Gaeta, my 3nd great grandmother was Rasario born oct 7, 1823 she married Angelo Magliozzi Feb 7, 1842 in Borgo di Gaeta. Her sisters Filomena (1835) Francesca (1829) Elizabetta (1839).
Angelo Magliozzi born 1821in Borgo married Rasario Antetomaso (above.) His parents were Salvadore Magliozzi and Anna Miele. Besides Angelo they had Alesio (1799) Gaetano (1801) Erasmo (1806) Teresa (1824) all born in Borgo.
My great grandfather Gennaro Farese lived in Gaeta and was married there in 1884 to Fortunada Elisabetta Paciello. He had a child there Maria Maddelena Farese and then left for the Usa arriving January 1 1888 returning in 1892 for his wife and daughter and they returned alltogether and made a home in Manhattan. Looking for any information on Farese in Gaeta.
Hi,
I am searching for importation relating to my grandmother. Her name is Concetta Fantasia (Could be shortened to Connie)and married Stelvio Rosetti (Not from Gaeta). She was born in 1931 in Gaeta. She came to Fremantle aboard the Neptunia. She arrived the 7 May 1956. She also has a sister called Maria Fantasia who came to Australia with her. She also has brothers that may have stayed in Gaeta with one recently passing away but she did not have much contact with them as her father passed away and she was sent off to work for a family to earn money I believe. I do not have much information on them but am interested. Anything relating to her or her family would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Sarah
I am searching for information regarding my grandmother. Her maiden name is Giacomina Lecesse. DOB 7/25/1882 in Gaeta. She married Cosmo Miele 1907. She came to the United States aboard the SS Romanic. Looking for birth certificate, marriage certificate, parents names, siblings, passenger list etc..
Thanks
Mike
I am a younger individual and this could very well possibly be a sister or cousin of my second great grandmother Louisa Leccese. She was my grandmother’s mothers mother. Her maiden name was Leccese and she was born in Elena, Gaeta italy in 1884. She married her husband Sal Scinicarello, in 1911 and came to America with her husband in 1914. She had many children, some of whom passed away in Gaeta. My great grandmother, was the second of her children born in the USA, but two of her older siblings were born in gaeta and came in there infancy. I dont know much about the Leccese family, but I can bet that they are related.
Hello!
My grandmother and grandfather were both from Gaeta. Her maiden name is Civita Ranucci and she was born January 7, 1897 and came to America on September 25, 1910 with my grandfather, his name is Antonio DiNitto. Her family originally lived at Via Castello, Borgo di Gaeta.
Any information about my family would be very much appreciated!
Regards,
Ann Marie
HOLA, MIS ANTEPASADOS RAMON Y ANTONIO FUSCO FUERON ORIGINARIOS DE GAETA Y LLEGARON A TAMPICO, MEXICO ALREDEDOR DE 1820. A PARTIR DE ELLOS HAY 5 GENERACIONES DE FUSCO NACIDAS AQUÍ QUE INCLUYEN A MIS HIJOS Y LOS DE MIS HERMANOS
NOS GUSTARÍA MUCHO SABER CUANDO SALIERON Y COMO
GRACIAS Y SALUDOS DESDE MEXICO
Bonjour,mon arrière-grand-père,Marinoso Damien est né à Gaeta le 16/09/1876, je voudrais en connaître plus sur ses parents , sa famille et lui-même.
Merci
Annie
My ancestors are Salvadore Volpe and Teresa Buttaro from Gaeta.
I am trying to retrace their lineage and understand more my family history.
Do you have any information or ideas on how to search beyond Salvadore and Teresa?
Thank you
My great grandmother, Clotilde Capobianco, left Gaeta in the 1860’s and moved to Solopaca or Vitulano. Her father was Antonio Giuseppe Capobianco. Her mother was Emanuella DeSapia. I am going to visit Gaeta this spring and would love to find information regarding these families. Family stories say that Clotilde left Gaeta hidden in a box because of the fighting that was taking place at that time. Would a church or the commune office be able to help me with information? which would be better? Thank you.
My grandfather was from Gaeta Italy and moved to Boston mass
His name was tommaso Ralph Capobianco going to
Gaeta this October would love to find some relatives
We will be traveling to gaeta in May and would like to find more information about my husbands great great grandfather pietro Manderino or Mandarino. We was born in 1879 in gaeta, Italy. We would love to find a birth certificate or christening record. We have hit a dead end and can not find parents and believe he may have been raised by Domenico Simeone. He came to America in 1894. But we also have record of American trips at age 14,17 and 23. We have marriage and death records. Advice at where to start our search would be helpful!
Thanks!
at one time Gaeta was part of Campania (The Kingdoms of Naples or the Two Sicilies – a lot of my relatives from the Lipari Islands were stationed in Gaeta and some of the children were born there. How do I find these records? Can you help me?
Good evening,
I have been history hunting and have hit a wall with the following individuals:
Tommaso Magliozzi (1874 Gaeta) emigrated to the US in 1907 aboard the ship Canopic.
Tommasina Magliozzi (1875, Gaeta)
Laurence Torado (1868, Italy – not sure where but I’ve been told Naples but arrived on 3/14/1912 aboard the ship Canopic)
Luigia Patella (2/6/1878 Italy, again not sure where but perhaps Naples)
Thank you for any information or directions!
Tommaso Magliozzi was my great grandfather. he you can email me with any questions
Hello!
My grandmother’s step-grandmother was Civita Magliozzi, who married Cosmo DiChiappari. I believe Civita was born around the 1870s. I know that she lived to 92 years of age, but do not know when she was born or when she died. I am sure that she lived in Gaeta, because my grandmother would visit her. Is it possible that Tommaso is a brother or relative of Civita?
Let me know if you’re heard her name before. I would be very happy to speak with you!
Thank you,
Alyssa
Alyssa,
I have never heard that name, but sadly my grandmother passed last year after rapidly deteriorating with dementia and so I wasn’t able to ask her about her lineage past Tommaso.
Hi Lisa,
I haven’t been back on the site in a while so I missed this for over a year. Ugh. Do you know any information about Tommaso’s relatives – parents? siblings? I haven’t been able to locate any records. If you have corroborating records, that would be ideal!
Thank you,
Janine
I am searching for any information on my grandfather and his family. I have been told that they were from New Gaeta.
My grandfather was born Ferdinando Carpentieri on 27 August 1901.
His father was born around 1886 and his name was either Biagio or Biase.
His parents are Ferdinando Carpentieri born around 1848.
His mother was Gaetana Carpentieri born around 1855.
I think her parents may have been Giovanni Carpentieri and Antonia Antanucio.
Ciao,
I am searching for my great grandfather and his family, Salvatore Eliante, birth around 1840?, married Caterina Nardella born 1863 Elena,Gaeta, son Erasmo Eliante Born 1887, Elena Gaeta. Married Maria Gabriella Salemme, born 1886 Gaeta.
Any information would be greatly appreciate!
Tanti grazie!
I am looking for my grandfather, Nicola Lorenti, born in Gaeta,(Elena)Italy December 8,1872,
died in Gaeta, Italy April 21 1937,is father Salvatore and is mother Maria Percuoco,I know he had at list one brother,Francesco, married with Carmine di Vasta ,had three children ,
Rasimina,Antonio,Maria Annunziata.
First wife died ,remarried with my grandmother,Concetta Palmiero April 19,1919,had eight children , Giuseppe,Salvatore,Maria,Liberina,Antonio,Luigi,Carmela, Pasquale.
We don’t know what he looks like as all the photos have been destroyed during WWII.
Only three children are alive, and we were wondering, since he has migrated in US for work more than once, that there maybe some photos in the National Archives or his passport and maybe more information of his whereabouts, his work, where he stayed and with whom, I believe he had a cousin in Brooklyn ,Pasquale Lorenti that he stayed with, in one of his trips. I done researches but the only things I found were dates of his US trips ,1902 ,1911.
Can you please help me find more about him but most of all ,photos, we are dying to know him, to see what he looks like.
Thank you
Regards
Rita
I am new to your great site. I just found out my grandfather may be from Gaeta but the family name may have originally been Frongillo. How would I go about getting a birth certificate for finding out if he actually was born there.
Thank you in advanace
My grandmother’s name was Elisabetta Mancino. She was born around 1870-1880 in and lived in Gaeta, or what was then known as Elena. In 1898, she married Cosmo Antonio Lauro. They had a son, my father, Ferdinando Damiano Lauro, who was born in 1899. They all emigrated to the United States around 1909. I am looking for relatives of the Lauro family that may still be living in the Gaeta area.
Mille grazie!
My great grandmother, Maria Giuseppa Cincotta was born in Gaeta on august 6, 1831 – she was the daughtr of Giuseppe and Maria Lo Schiavo. I know she had at least two brothers named Giovanni that were also born in Gaeta – their father was in the service and stationed in Gaeta. Try as I may, I just cannot find any records – would you be kind enough to tell me how I can access and view these records so that perhaps I can get more information.
Hi- I’m looking for information for Antonio Visco born in Elena Italy on 13 July 1881. I think his fathers name may be Pasquale (1831-?) and if naming tradition holds then his mothers name maybe Assunta. He married Constance (Concetta) Spinosa 1908 and they had 4 children in Italy.
Any help finding info on Antonio and his parents would be greatly appreciated!!
My grandmother, Rosa Capodanno, was born on January 26, 1891, who came to the United States as a young child. On the few records I have, she identifies the city of her birth as Napoli, but I believe her parents were originally from Borgo di Gaeta, Latina, Lazio, Italy. Her parents were Erasmo Capodanno and Francesca Caruso. My information indicates that Erasmo was born in 1854, Francesca in 1866, and that they married in 1886, but that might be slightly off since their first son was born in 1883.
The only specific date I have is on a passenger list for the ship Italia that shows a date of arrival in New York as March 15, 1893. According to that document, they embarked in Naples, were destined for Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and arrived in New York on March 15, 1893. Passengers included Gani Caruso (whom I suspect was a younger brother), Francesca Caruso, age 27, and three children, Paolo (born June 30, 1883), Alessandro (born January, 1887) and Rosa. This document, however, indicates that Rosa was one month old which conflicts with the birthdate I have of January 26, 1891.
The parents of Erasmo Capodanno were Pietro Paolo Capodanno, born in San Cosmo, Borgo di Gaeta, Latina, Lazio, on June 26, 1819 and Rosaria Magliocco, born in the same city in 1830.
I would be very grateful if you could help me locate a birth record or even just a specific date of birth for Erasmo Capodanno or Francesca Caruso. I am most especially interested in a birth record for Rosa Capodanno or a marriage record for Erasmo and Francesca which I hope will provide me with the names of her parents, information which I have sought for several years.
I thank you for your kind consideration in this matter, and would happily pay the cost of any duplication expenses or postage fees.
Hello,
I know my great-grandfather Pietro Ventura is from Gaeta, and that he immigrated to Boston in the early 1900s, and his mother soon followed him. I’m interested in finding out whether he had any siblings and what happened to his father. I’m going to Gaeta for a few days this summer and would like to find either some records (I have my great-grandfather’s birth cert already), a gravestone (of his father), or anything else I could find. Do you think the comune would be a good place to start? Who should I ask to speak to? Where else should I look?
Grazie!
I heard from a cousin that there was supposed to be a memorial stone in the town square of Gaeta with the name GUGLIELMO on it. It was supposed to be thanking the GUGLIELMO family for helping Pope Pius IX when he fled to Gaeta. I have tracked the family to Maranola and Trivio in the 1830-50’s. Was there such a monument/memorial stone? Is it still there?
Thank you for your time
Hi! We are also part of the Guglielmo family (Durso), and have the same question. Did you find the answer?
Thanks!
Jennifer