Aiena Family gathering

Research Services

What started as a hobby has become a passion and career!

From the moment I started researching my own family in 1999, I knew I had found something that I really and truly loved to do! Since then, I’ve helped over 250 clients learn more about their family history, solve family mysteries, gain Dual Citizenship, have a more complete sense of self and so much more.  I mainly focus on families of Italian or Sicilian origin, but I do have extensive experience in American records as well. I thoroughly enjoy researching for other people–It is just as exciting for me to find new information for others as it is for me to find something new for my own family!

People contact me for different reasons and the journey is unique for each client, but one thing is consistent—in order to research families of Italian origin, it is important to know the Who, When and Where.

What You Need to Know to Start

Who?

Obviously, it's vital to know the name of the ancestor you would like to research. Many Italians changed or modified their names in some way after arriving to America. What name and variation of names did your ancestor use?

When?

An approximate date of birth, marriage or death for the ancestor(s) you wish to research is needed so we know the time frame in which we should be searching. If you don't know that information, is it known for the ancestor's spouse, parents, siblings or children?

Where?

Because of the way records in Italy are archived, knowing the specific town of origin your ancestors came from is imperative to researching their ancestry. If you don't know the exact town, knowing the Province or Region can also be helpful.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t know one or more of the above! Ask extended family members if they know the answers to the Who, When and Where and if they have any documents or records that might be useful. There are also excellent resources available to help us find the information, including immigration and naturalization records, census records, newspaper articles and obituaries, vital records, church records and so much more. If you need to know Who, When and Where, Sicilian Family Tree can help you figure that out too!

What Are Your Research Goals?

Many people have a broad goal, like the desire to learn more about their family history in general, researching back as far as possible or maybe finding all of their long-lost cousins in America. Others have more specific goals such as getting a specific document for a specific ancestor, finding living relatives before a trip to Italy or obtaining Dual Citizenship. It’s important to think about what you are hoping to gain from the research experience as guides what we look for and how we research. Here are some questions to consider:

01

What’s your overall goal?

What is your overall goal? Do you just want to learn more about your family? Do you want to gain Dual Citizenship or meet family members on an upcoming trip? Do you have a family mystery that you would like to solve?

02

Forward, Backward or Both?

How far back do you want to research? Would you rather bring your family forward to the present day and finding living relatives? Or would you like to move your family back and forward too?

03

Are We Being Specific?

Do you just want or need specific documents, such as a naturalization, birth, marriage and/or death record for a specific person(s)? Do you need documents for a Dual Citizenship application?

04

Direct and/or Indirect Ancestors?

Do you want to research just your direct ancestors – your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents – going straight back? Or do you also want to learn about their siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles? How wide do you want your tree to be?

05

What’s the History?

Do you also want to know the history of the town your ancestors came from? When was it first established? What did/do most people do for a living? What is the landscape like? Are there any important landmarks there? What was it like for my ancestors to live there?

06

What’s Your Budget?

What is your budget for research? Some clients have limited budgets, such as a certain amount per report, while others are more open-ended. Whatever your budget, Sicilian Family Tree will work within that budget to achieve your research goals.

Choose A Service

No matter what your research goals are or how you answered the questions above, Sicilian Family Tree has options that can accommodate your budget while helping you achieve your research goals. We offer two basic types of research: Full Family Searches and Specific Document Searches. Follow the links below to learn more about each option and then be sure to fill out a Contact Form and submit your deposit to get started on your family history journey!

If you are interested in learning all there is to know about your family, this is the search for you. Sicilian Family Tree can do all the work for you. Just sit back and watch your tree grow!
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If you are interested in obtaining one or more specific documents, then this is the search for you. Sicilian Family Tree offers affordable options for getting those documents!
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