If you search your ancestors in Martina Franca, in the province of Taranto, Puglia region, the documents about your Italian family are stored in the City Office archives and in the parishes in the town.This is where to start your family history research.

Civil Records in Martina Franca

In towns and villages of Puglia and in Taranto province registry offices were established in 1809: it means that you could find your ancestors records in Martina Franca town hall archives as of that date.

(If your goal is to get your Italian Citizenship and you need official certificates from Martina Franca, please follow this link)

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So, if your ancestors lived in Martina Franca during the past centuries, then you should start your family research from the City Office of Martina Franca 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 advices to search in Puglia and of course in Martina Franca too!

Next picture shows the demographic trends in Martina Franca from the Italian Unification (1861).
This is a necessary info to understand how many people lived in the town in the past.

To go on quickly in your research is important to know if the last name you are investigating is a frequent surname in Martina Franca. As more your surname is common, as more it could be difficult to find the right branch of your ancestors family in Martina Franca archives, expecially if you have not exact dates.
It could be useful for you to know that some of the most common surnames in Taranto province are:
Albano, Annicchiarico, Basile, Bianco, Bruno, Buccoliero, Caforio, Calò, Caramia, Carbotti, Carrieri, Cavallo, Clemente, Colucci, Conte, Fornaro, Fumarola, Galeone, Gentile, Gigante, Greco, Leone, Liuzzi, Lomartire, Marangi, Marinelli, Martucci, Massafra, Mele, Miccoli, Montanaro, Nigro, Palmisano, Pastore, Perrone, Pichierri, Pignatelli, Quaranta, Ricci, Russo, Santoro, Saracino, Schiavone, Scialpi, Semeraro, Solito, Tagliente, Vinci.

Church Records in Martina Franca

Church archives in Taranto 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 Puglia started during 1500!

They are far less accessible expecially from abroad and very hard to read and decipher if you are not used and skilled.
But our local genealogists, are graduated in history and archivistics so, with their expertise, they can research the church registers of Martina Franca on your behalf.

In case you want to visit churches, these are the addresses of parishes active today in Martina Franca:

CRISTO RE – Via Taranto

DIVINO AMORE – Via Palombelle

MARIA SS. DEL MONTE CARMELO – Via Pergolesi

REGINA MUNDI – Via Messapia

S. ANTONIO – P.zza S. Antonio, 3

S. DOMENICO – Via Principe Umberto

S. FAMIGLIA – Via della Liberta’

S. MARTINO – Via Masaniello, 1

S. PAOLO – Contrada Lanzo di Martina Franca

S. TERESA DEL BAMBIN GESU’ – C.da Specchia Tarantina

Anyway for our experience, 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 your holidays in the offices or in the churches dealing with italian bureaucracy .
(Remember that archives are not open to public and officers and priests are not required by law to give you access to the local archives)
With the results gathered by our genealogist before your arrival, you will have more free time to visit the town and surroundings on your ancestors footsteps.

Another important source of information are the notary documents available to expert researchers in the State Archives.

If you need a professional help from our local genealogist in Martina Franca area , write to martinafranca@italianside.com or fill the form here.

Our expert will study your request and will reply to you with a plan and a quote for your family research.

If you want to read this page in other languages:
– Italiano

– Espanol

– Portuguese

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