My Genealogy Tools: Pg1TimelinesGen. Clip ArtHeraldry: Crests and SymbolsFamily Interview FormTerminology:  Italian, Latin, English
Italian Baptismal (Church) Record

example: church baptismal record
WORD LIST

battesimali = baptismal

Cellarum = Celle S.Vito town

filia (figlia) = daughter

Die = day

et = and

ex = out of, from

Faeti = Faeto town

folio (foglio) = page

nomen = name

Troiane = Troia town

xbre = December

KEYWORDS for finding essential information:
Battesimali (baptismal) is the keyword that shows the type of record you are viewing and it is usually located near the top of the record. Occasionally, you will find it in the middle of the record near the father's name.
Two dates appear on this record.  The baby's baptismal date begins with the word "Die" (day).  The other date located at the bottom is the date of the collection of the pre-marriage paperwork-often called "processetti" or "allegato".*
You will see the words "baptizavi infantum" followed by the word "ex" (from) and the father's name, Crescenzo Motto. Then you will see the paternal grandparent names preceeded by the abbreviation "gm." (in this case only the grandfather is named).
Next are the mother's name, preceeded by the word "et" and the names of her parents (the baby's maternal grandparents- grandmother's name is preceeded by the word "et").
Look further down in the record for the word "nomen" (christian or first name).  The baby's name will follow "nomen".
On this page, I have reviewed the essential keywords you will need to find the baptismal information.  Please remember, the example document shown on this page is a facsimile - it is not the record of a real person.
NOTES and TIPS:
-- The abbreviated word "tre" usually preceeds the place name of the person's residence.
-- Sometimes, Italian record keepers (religious or civil) would write the word "ignoto" (unknown), when a piece of information was missing but most of the time they would continue the sentence without an acknowledgement.
-- In this record the paternal grandmother is not named and the cleric continues to list the family's names without a break or indication to show that the paternal grandmother's name is missing.   This can be confusing so you must remember the usual written order of the family names.  Read carefully, if all four parent/grandparent names are not listed, it can be tricky.
-- Unless you go to an Italian church to view your ancestor's records, you probably will not view an actual church record.   There are exceptions.   Sometimes the church records have been photographed and saved on microfilm by the LDS.
-- * Extracts (of church record information) can be found among a couple's marriage preparation paperwork - also known as processetti/ allegati.   Not all marriage records contain these extra documents.   When you are working with the earliest civil records, finding an extract such as the baptismal record above, is a real treasure.   It is possible to find extracts for great great grandparents including death records and occasionally to find a marriage extract, too.  This could bring you one or two more generations back in time.


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