Genealogy in Marsala
Tracing your Italian roots back to Marsala (in Trapani province, Sicilia 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 Marsala.
Marsala family history at a glance
- Region: Sicilia
- Province: Trapani
- Type of records: civil and parish records
- Civil registration: from 1809 onwards
- Parish records: often older than civil records (in some cases from the 1600s)
How to research your ancestry in Marsala
Thanks to its network of local experts, Italianside has developed significant experience in genealogical research in the province of Trapani. 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 Sicilia region, conducted genealogy research on historical families from Marsala, involving many surnames traditionally found in the town, including branches of the following families: Alagna, Angileri, Barraco, Genna, Giacalone, Licari, Lombardo, Maggio, Marino, Parrinello, Pellegrino, Pipitone, Rallo, Sammartano, Tumbarello 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 Marsala 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 Marsala and Sicilia 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
• 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 Sicilia, every municipality — including Marsala — 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 Marsala and in the Province of Trapani 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 Marsala community.
Civil Records (Stato Civile) in Marsala
In towns and villages of Sicilia and in Trapani province, civil registration offices were established in 1809. This means you can often find your ancestors’ civil records in the Town Hall archives of Marsala from that year onwards.
(If your goal is to obtain Italian citizenship and you need official certificates from Marsala, please follow this link.)
If you know that your ancestors lived in Marsala during the past centuries, the City Office of Marsala 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 Marsala.
- 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 Sicilia and specifically in Marsala.
Population trends in Marsala
The chart below shows the demographic trends in Marsala 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 Marsala
Church archives in Trapani 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 Sicilia, 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 Marsala 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 Marsala:
MADONNA DELLA SAPIENZA – 91025 MARSALA TP
MARIA SS. AUSILIATRICE – Via Don Bosco
MARIA SS. BAMBINA – Contrada Terrenove
MARIA SS. DEL ROSARIO – 91025 SPAGNOLA TP
MARIA SS. DELLA CAVA – 91025 CIAVOLO TP
MARIA SS. DELLE GRAZIE AL PULEO – 91025 MATAROCCO TP
MARIA SS. IMMACOLATA – C.da Birgi
MARIA SS. MADRE DELLA CHIESA – Ciancio
S. ANNA – Via XIX Luglio, 81
S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA – 91025 S PADRE PERRIERE TP
S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA – Corso Calatafimi
S. GIOVANNI MARIA VIANNEY – Amabilina
S. LEONARDO ABATE – 91025 RAGATTISI TP
S. MATTEO – Via Punica
S. TOMMASO DI CANTORBERY – P.zza della Repubblica
SS. FILIPPO E GIACOMO – 91025 BUFALATA TP
SS. TRINITA’ – C.da Ranna
MARIA SS. AUSILIATRICE – Via Don Bosco
MARIA SS. DEL ROSARIO – 91025 SPAGNOLA TP
S. ANNA – Via XIX Luglio, 81
S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA – 91025 S PADRE PERRIERE TP
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.
The provincial archive is:
Archivio di Stato di Trapani
Address: S. Anna, 22 – Trapani
Phone: +390923 546355 552706
Days and opening hours: from mon. to fri. :from 08,00 to 18,00 sat. :from 08,00 to 13,30 weekly closing: Sunday; no reservation
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 Marsala
Historical cadastral and land records used to identify property ownership, track real estate transfers over time, and confirm the historical presence of families within Marsala. 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 Marsala and Sicilia 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.
Planning a visit to Marsala
From our experience, if you plan to visit Marsala 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 Marsala
If you need professional support from our local genealogist in the Marsala area, write to marsala@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 Marsala
Here below you can read messages from other visitors in the Marsala forum. If you simply want to discuss genealogy in Marsala with other people, feel free to leave a message.
My name is Mario,name changed on Ellis Island in 1907. My grandfather Mario
Fricalora was born in 1882. He married Vitina Bilardello. His grandfather was Mario Fricalora who served in the guardi urbani under Garibaldi in May 1860.His niece was Biatrice Fricalora and lived on Via Trapani. Does anyone know if there are any Fricalora or Bilardellos in Marsala. I grew up in Brooklyn(Bruculinu in dialect) and now live in So California. I read Arba Sicula a literary publication dedicated to Sicilian language and culture. I made communion in the same church as Vincent Schiavelli.
does anyone know if there are any Fricalora or bilardello living in Marsala or Trapani?
My husband grandfather was born in Marsala in 1895. His name was Vincenzo Di Bernardo he came to the United in April 1914 from Palermo in the Ship Ancona. We are looking for information on Family that may still live in Sicily, we will be traveling there the end of September.
My grandfather was Angelo Barraco (Born 6/10/1910). His father was Frank Barraco (from Marsala) and mother, Vincenza Barraco. He had a sister Antoinette that died at a young age. If you have any information please contact me
I am researching my grandparents families in Marsala. My grandparents were Antonino DiStefano b.1884. He married my grandmother, Anna Zizzo b. 1891. They married in Marsala in 1909. His father was Ignazio DiStefano and Giovanna Patti. They married July 6, 1878 in Marsala. Her parents were Antonino Zizzo b.1860 and Rosa Patti. They both died sometime between 1891 and 1909. I believe Antonio Zizzo died in 1906. He was murdered. Giovanna Patti and Rosa Patti were sisters. Their parents were Antonino Patti and Anna Valenti. Any help would be appreciated.
I am trying to find my family in Marsala. My great-grandfather Calogero Marino left Marsala (with his three eldest sons) prior to September 1910 and my great-grandmother Anna DiGirolamo left Marsala to join him on September 21, 1910 with their three young daughters. My grandmother Maria Marino (born July 24, 1895) was one of those children. I believe that Calogero was a jewelry maker. They settled in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. After my great-grandmother’s death, my great-grandfather Calogero Marino later returned to live in Marsala. The family legend is that he returned in order to marry a “principessa”.
I would appreciate any information regarding my family and relatives in Marsala. I hope to visit there in the future. Thank you.
My name is Jack. My grandfather, Giuseppe DiGirolamo, was from Marsala. He was born in 1895 and left for the states in 1812. He married my grandmother, Annatona Provenzano. She was from Palermo. I wonder if we are related?
Trying to find my family in Marsala. Father/Mother were Tomasso DiGirolamo & Anna DeVita. Had aprox 15 children. My Nana, Giacoma came to America in 1910 with her sisters, Maria, Giuseppa, & brother Salvatore (Sam) came in 1923. Settled in Rockford, IL. Mother Anna DeVita passed away late 1950’s or early 1960’s. Giacoma married Andrea Lombardo aprox 1911. Giacoma was born 1890. Would love any info regarding family that stayed in Marsala.
I am looking for my husband’s mother’s family her name was Rosaria M Rollo born on May 8 1904. I need to find her parents name we are planing a trip to Italy next month and would love to surprise my husband with a name of a relative since he has none in USA
Hi, I’m trying to find records for Luigi , Vito and Domenico Savalla. They are three brothers, who are supposedly from Marsala. Born in the early 1890s. Some American census records say that they came to the U.S. in the 1910s, but some show early 1900s (1904 & 1903). Luigi Savalla married Pasquale Laudicina (I think). I don’t know when they married, if it was in Italy, or in the States, and I can’t figure out what city they came through, New York, or? These 4 people for sure ended up in Rockford, Illinois, but I don’t know how or why. Finally, the people in Rockford, Illinois renamed Pasqule, “Jenny” or “Jennie.” Any help is much appreciated. Ciao.
Am trying to start a family tree with the Viola family. Grandfather is Antonio Viola and married to a Crocifissa (don’t know maiden name. My mother, Rosalia Viola was born in 1893, I believe in Marsala. I would like any information on the family and as well my grandmother’s maiden name. She might have been born in Menfi, Sicily or perhaps had relatives in Marsala because she and my grandfather moved there from Menfi after having a few children. Later children born in Marsala, I believe namely, Calogero, Francesca.
I have been working on my family tree for some time. My father’s side is from Castellammare del Golfo and I visited in January, 2016 for one day. I’m planning a trip for 2 weeks in Sicily in March, 2018; I ‘m hoping to get info on my mother’s side from Marsala before my trip. My grandparents are Salvatore Parrinello, dob 7/17/1886, died in NY, USA 5/5/1971, immigrated 4/25/1912; my grandmother is Guiseppa Cascio, dob 1/6/1889, died 1968 in NY< USA, immigrated 9/27/1913 with my uncle Antonino, dob 12/22/1912. I'm interested in living relatives and my greatgrandparents's names and the addresses where they lived. I got most of my research through Family search records but they do not have the date that my uncle was born on available microfiches. My father's side is Calandra and my grandparents were related but I have been unable to make the connection. I'm looking for Guiseppe Calandra, born around 1843, married to Paola Palmeri, born around 1854 and died 5/17/1904. They had a daughter, Rosa, born 6/29/1893. They lived on Via Timpa #3 in Castellammarre del Golfo. I have birth records, marriage records, death records and have seen the record books in Sicily. Any help would be appreciated.
I am trying to find any information for my grandfather Fracesco Conte born 1875 in Marsala Italy. his wife name was Maria Badalucco and their sons (marie, alessandro, jean, marguerita, josephina, pietrina and léonarda were born in Tunisia in Jendouba (souk arba) exactly. If someone can help me in my research or has informations please write me. thanks
I am looking for a Francesco Galfano born ca 1857 in Marsala. He married Dorotea Ingoglia. He died apparently in 1927 in Marsala but married her wife in Tunis? So I am not too sure…He had at least 4 sons: Vito, Michele, Nicolo and Francesco. 3 moved to the US one in Algeria via Tunisia. Her wife apparently died in 1897 in Marsala too.
I am really stuck as I cannot find any trace of them…except in the marriage of his son Vito.
I am a decendant of this family. I have most of the genealogy for Michele (my grandfather) completed. Please contact me. My name is Patricia Galfano Urban and I live in Odessa, TX
Hi Patricia.
I know some of my distant cousins in the USA. My great grand-father Vito is the only brother to Michele who didn’t immigrate to the USA but to Tunisia then Algeria.
I have the genealogy tree completed back 4 generations. How can I help you? How are we related?
Hello. I haven’t seen a response from you to know how we are related and if you need any of the genealogy I have. Please feel free to contact me. Oh, I am going to Italy May 2018 and will be spending time in Sicily/Marsala. I hope to hear from you.
Hi
I am looking for info on my relatives from Marsala.
My grandfather was Pietro Giacalone who married
Margaret Scardino after they came to Brooklyn in 1920
Margaret Scardino was the daughter of Vincenzo and Maria (Lombardo) Scardino who came to Brooklyn in 1918
Looking for any information on Sfraga family. Born and raised in Marsala. One was a Catholic priest. One nammed Anna left for U.S. in 1911.
Any information will be appreciated.
Researching LOMBARDO surname. Bartolo Lombardo b.1892. His father Vito Lombardo 1842.
Can u lead me in the right direction??
hello I would like to find the birth certificate of my grandfather back ” Arcoleo Onofrio ” born October 28, 1899 Marsala thank you to inform me .
cordially.
ciao vorrei trovare il certificato di nascita di mio nonno schiena ” Arcoleo Onofrio ” nato 28 ottobre 1899 Marsala grazie a informarmi .
cordialmente .
I have a report from the National Archives of Marsala regarding my ancestors but there are no documents or photographs. I have also located many relatives in Sicily but they are not excited about helping me with research. Is there someone that can help me?
I am trying to find any information for my grandfather Rocco Ingianni born 9/1897 in Marsala Italy. His mothers name was Maria Sparle and fathers name was Antonio Ingianni. I would like to go as far back as I can on my grandfathers side. What his father did for a living and his father. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Your grandfather Rocco was my great-uncle. He was my grandmother Pasquale’s brother. Their mother’s name was Maria Spalla and father was Antonino Ingianni. Besides Rocco and Pasquale there was Rosa, Anna, Caterina, Maria, and Nicolo. Rocco came to the United States on April 3rd 1914. He is listed through Ellis island coming over on the Konig Albert ship after boarding in Palermo.I have a picture of him when he was probably around 10 or 11 with my grandmother Pasquale and Rosa and also their parents Mary and Antonino. If you would like it I can send a copy to you.the ship manifest states that he was 5 foot 1 in tall and had a mole on his cheek and his destination was 21 division Street Auburn New York. he was 16 when he came over.
I am trying to obtain a birth certificate for Damiano Bua, born on June 16, 1904. Do you know how I can obtain this?
Grandfather is Angelo Scarpitta, born 5/29/1891 in Marsala, Trapani, Sicily; died 1/1971 in Rockford, Winnebago,Illinois, USA. Angelo has 1 brother I’m aware of named Antonino Scarpitta. I’m at a dead-end determining Angelo’s family and parents. Can you help?
My grandfather’s name was Antonio Scarpetta, born in Marsala on 3/31/1889 and lived in Rockford, IL. I know that he had a brother that he had little contact with. On my ancestry page it says that I am related to the Scarpittas.Could we be related?
Sto tentando di nividuare I parenti di mi nonno Simone Miceli emigrate da Marsala, in Sicilia negli Stati Uniti nel 1903. ll suo nome era Granlcesco Miceli padre. Sua madre si chiamava Fransesca credo Aveve un fratello Antonino Miceli che poi emigrate negli Stati Uniti circa 1911. Simone era di 20 anni nel 1903. La sue data di nascita era 11 Maggio 1880.
English: I am attempting to locate relatives of my grandfather Simone Miceli who immigrated from Marsala, Sicily to the United States in 1903. His fathers name was Francesco Miceli. His mother was named Fransesca I think. He had a brother Antonino Miceli who later immigrated to the U.S. in 1911. Simone was age 20 in 1903. His birthdate was 11 May 1880.
Doing a family tree on behalf of a friend. Trying to figure out how all the LAUDICINA families that ended up in Bergen County, New Jersey, USA (after first living in New York City) are connected. They came from Marsala and area in Trapani, Sicilia.
Diane, I just found a Laudicina family on my tree, too. My third great grandmother is Rosa Laudicina from Marsala. I only have her name from her children’s marriage records, but I know she married Giuseppe Mezzapelle.
Diane and Stephanie, I have a Pasquale Laudicina in my family tree. She was my great great grandmother, who married Luigi Savalla. They ended up in Rockford, Illinois. There is another Laudicina, James, who was in Rockford and it looks like he was related to Rosa from New Jersey. On a 1910 census, a James Laudicina is listed in Rockford, along with his mother Rosa and his wife, also named Rosa. Maybe Pasquale and James Laudicina were brother and sister or cousins? I don’t know how to track down the right info to corroborate.
My husband’s grandfather Paulo Laudicina came from trapani and settled in Chicago, where a daughter Katherine and a son Frank (1920’s) were born. Frank’s name ended up as Laudicano in school, and paulo moved to brooklyn and remarried. I think we are the only Laudicano’s in the US.
Reply
Searching for the grave sites of Benedetto Pipitone and Giovanina Rizzo (husband and wife)buried in Marsala,IT sometime before 1965.
Currently there is a cousin, Benedetto Pipitone, son of the deceased
Any information will be appreciated,
Nathan Errante
My husband’s grandfather Paulo Laudicina came from trapani and settled in Chicago, where a daughter Katherine and a son Frank (1920’s) were born. Frank’s name ended up as Laudicano in school, and paulo moved to brooklyn and remarried. I think we are the only Laudicano’s in the US.