Finding your roots in Naples and Campania: archives, Italea and the journey back
Millions of people around the world have a grandparent or great-grandparent who left from Naples or Campania. More and more of them come back to look for the family house, church and town. Here's where to start.
Where to start
- Gather what your family knows: full names, approximate dates, the town or neighbourhood they left from, documents, photos, letters.
- Emigration records in the country where the family arrived (passenger lists, naturalisation papers) often give the town of birth.
- Records in Italy: with the name and the town you can look for birth, marriage and death records at the civil registry office (ufficio di stato civile) of the town council, in the parish registers of the churches and at the Archivio di Stato di Napoli (Naples State Archive), which holds many historical registers.
The Italea programme
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs promotes roots tourism through the Italea programme, a network that in every region helps the descendants of emigrants find their places of origin, with information, local contacts and benefits for travellers. In Campania a pilot project has also been launched in Irpinia. You'll find the information on the Italea website.
Planning the trip
- Choose a convenient base: Naples is linked by train and bus to the whole of Campania. The Central Station area is the most practical for getting out to the towns.
- Get in touch beforehand with the town council or the parish: many offices reply by email and prepare the documents for your visit.
- Stay a few extra days: between research, visiting relatives and the city, a week flies by. For long stays, on Napolibnb you can ask the host directly for a dedicated price.
Tell us your story. We are collecting the stories of Neapolitans around the world and of their homecomings. Write to us from the Contact page: we will only publish them with your consent.
Useful
- Central Station areathe base for getting around Campania
- Neapolitan holidays, even from afarthe calendar
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find the birth records of my Neapolitan ancestors?
At the civil registry office of the town of birth, in parish registers and at the Naples State Archive (Archivio di Stato di Napoli), which holds many historical registers.
What is Italea?
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' programme for roots tourism, with a network in every region that helps the descendants of emigrants find their places of origin.
Where to stay for your roots trip
202 places to stay in the Historic Centre on Napolibnb.it, the Naples holiday-rental portal: you contact the host directly, with no booking fees. Every listing shows its official CIN code.
