Ellis Island Records: Sources for Genealogical Research

Ellis Island
Ellis Island, a small island in New York Harbor, has become a powerfully evocative symbol of immigration to the United States over the years. Before its opening, immigrants disembarked primarily at Castle Garden, but the increase in immigration necessitated a new facility in 1892. Ellis Island quickly became the gateway for more than 12 million
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In Vallelunga two American brothers discover their origins

Vallelunga Pratameno is a small agricultural center in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily. In 1901 Loreto Francesco Federico left Vallelunga together with some fellow villagers for the United States, with little money in his pocket and a suitcase full of dreams and hopes. Last April 30th, after more than a century, the grandchildren Philip and
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Genealogy in Altofonte

Altofonte
Historical notes on Altofonte Altofonte is a municipality of 9867 inhabitants, bordering the municipalities of Belmonte Mezzagno, Monreale, Palermo, Piana degli Albanesi and Santa Cristina Gela. Its original name was Parco, changed to the current one in 1930. Located on the slopes of Mount Moarda, with a splendid panorama of the Conca d’Oro and the
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Camporeale and its history

Camporeale is a Comune of 2983 inhabitants, in the province of Palermo. It rises in the high valley of the Belice river at 440 meters above sea level, on the border of the provinces of Palermo, Trapani and Agrigento. From Makella to the foundation It seems that the city of Makella or Macella (from the
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The earthquake of 23 October 1907 in Ferruzzano (RC) and its victims

The earthquake
Over the centuries, the historical events of Calabria have been conditioned by seismic events which sometimes affected large portions of the territory (such as the earthquake of February – March 1783), other times much more circumscribed areas but with equally serious effects. Two years after the earthquake of 8 September 1905, around 9:30 pm on
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COLLESANO: its origins, its ancient surnames

Collesano - Panorama
In this article we offer some brief notes on the foundation of Collesano and the list of surnames present in the 1747 census. Collesano is a Sicilian town of 3854 inhabitants. It is part of the Metropolitan City of Palermo and is located in the Madonie area, on the slopes of Mount Grotta del Signore
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The Surnames of Villarosa in 1748

Villarosa - Orologio Municipale
In this article we provide some brief notes on the foundation of Villarosa, as well as the list of the surnames of the families residing there in 1748. Villarosa is a town in the province of Enna, Sicily, located in the region of the Erei mountains at an altitude of 523 meters. Its territory, bordered
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Niscemi: its foundation and its first inhabitants

Niscemi is a town of 25639 inhabitants, located in the province of Caltanissetta. Its vast territory, inhabited since ancient times, in the Middle Ages was part of the county of Grassuliato (a castle-farmhouse a few kilometers from Mazzarino). The Branciforti family, owner of this vast feudal domain, between the end of the sixteenth century and
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Ficarazzi: its history and surnames

The history of Ficarazzi can be documented with certainty since 1290. Between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries it became famous for the production of cane sugar. In this article we will offer a brief historical overview of its foundation, together with the list of families present in its first census (1751). THE ORIGINS The territory
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The surnames of Pentedattilo in 1745

Pentedattilo view
Pentedattilo was founded around 640 BC. from Chalcidian settlers (the name derives from the Greek πέντα-δάκτυλος (pènta-daktylos), that is “five fingers”, with the particular shape of the rocky relief overlooking the town), and due to its position it soon became an important commercial and strategic center. The foundation of the current village was caused by
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