I have enjoyed writing this column for La Gazzetta Italiana since 2017 and sharing lots of tips and techniques, however I decided to do a refresh on this column for the new year and hope that you will help me help you! This year I would like to help our readers discover their Italian ancestors and their stories. If you have an Italian family history question or mystery that you would like some help with, I invite you to send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the details of your inquiry. I will review the emails received and select requests to work on. If I select your inquiry, with your permission, I will publish the methodology and the results from my research in a future La Gazzetta Italiana issue. 

Some of you may be too shy to reach out but I encourage you to do so. Perhaps you have these questions about your family history:

• When did my ancestor come to America? What ship did he or she sail on? How long was the voyage?

• What was our family’s original Italian surname?

• What is our family’s ancestral village?

• Who are my great-grandparents? 

• When and where were my ancestors born and married or when did they die in Italy?

• Did my immigrant ancestor become a naturalized citizen?

Perhaps you just want to dispel or confirm a family story? For instance, I helped one family discover that their ancestor left behind a wife and children in Italy and started a “new” family here in America. In doing Italian American research for the last decade, I have found that our families’ stories are out there to be discovered if we just take some time to look! Happy ancestor hunting!

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• Pam Kumer of... Pam Kumer of...
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