If you search your ancestors in Geraci Siculo, in the province of Palermo, Sicilia region, the documents about your Italian family are stored in the City Office archives and in the parishes in the town.This is where to start your family history research.
Civil Records in Geraci Siculo
In towns and villages of Sicilia and in Palermo province registry offices were established in 1809: it means that you could find your ancestors records in Geraci Siculo town hall archives as of that date.
(If your goal is to get your Italian Citizenship and you need official certificates from Geraci Siculo, please follow this link)
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So, if your ancestors lived in Geraci Siculo during the past centuries, then you should start your family research from the City Office of Geraci Siculo to know more: our local expert is ready to help you in your research!
Otherwise, if you think to contact the town hall by yourself, we suggest you to read our tips for your search. They are useful advices to search in Sicilia and of course in Geraci Siculo too!
Next picture shows the demographic trends in Geraci Siculo from the Italian Unification (1861).
This is a necessary info to understand how many people lived in the town in the past.
To go on quickly in your research is important to know if the last name you are investigating is a frequent surname in Geraci Siculo. As more your surname is common, as more it could be difficult to find the right branch of your ancestors family in Geraci Siculo archives, expecially if you have not exact dates.
It could be useful for you to know that some of the most common surnames in Palermo province are:
Aiello, Amato, Barone, Battaglia, Bruno, Caruso, Catalano, Costa, Cusimano, D’Amico, D’Angelo, Di Maggio, Di Salvo, Ferrante, Ferrara, Gambino, Geraci, Giordano, Greco, La Barbera, La Rosa, Lo Cascio, Lombardo, Macaluso, Mancuso, Maniscalco, Mannino, Marchese, Marino, Martorana, Mazzola, Messina, Mineo, Orlando, Palazzolo, Parisi, Pecoraro, Piazza, Randazzo, Rizzo, Romano, Russo, Sciortino, Siragusa, Taormina, Tarantino, Vassallo, Vitale.
Church Records in Geraci Siculo
Church archives in Palermo province may store even older information. You will find religious records of the same events (births, marriages and deaths) but, most important, you could go further back in time!
So in case you would like to go back in centuries, it’s good for you to know that the parish registers in Sicilia started during 1500!
They are far less accessible expecially from abroad and very hard to read and decipher if you are not used and skilled.
But our local genealogists, are graduated in history and archivistics so, with their expertise, they can research the church registers of Geraci Siculo on your behalf.
In case you want to visit churches, these are the addresses of parishes active today in Geraci Siculo:
S. MARIA MAGGIORE – P.zza del Popolo
Anyway for our experience, if you plan to come here, we always suggest to start the research months before the arrival.
In this way you will avoid to waste your holidays in the offices or in the churches dealing with italian bureaucracy .
(Remember that archives are not open to public and officers and priests are not required by law to give you access to the local archives)
With the results gathered by our genealogist before your arrival, you will have more free time to visit the town and surroundings on your ancestors footsteps.
Another important source of information are the notary documents available to expert researchers in the State Archives.
If you are in Sicilia and you are able to decipher old italian handwritten documents you can reach the archive here:
Archivio di Stato di Palermo
Address: Via Vittorio Emanuele, 31 – Palermo
Phone: +39 0912704001 .002 .003
Days and opening hours: monday – friday 08:00 – 18:00 saturday 08:00 – 13:30 weekly closing: Sunday and holidays; no reservation
If you need a professional help from our local genealogist in Geraci Siculo area , write to geracisiculo@italianside.com or fill the form here.
Our expert will study your request and will reply to you with a plan and a quote for your family research.
If you want to read this page in other languages:
– Italiano
– Espanol
– Portuguese
Here below you can read the messages received from other visitors in Geraci Siculo forum:
if you only want to discuss with other people interested in genealogy in Geraci Siculo feel free to leave a message below.
Husband’s great grandfather and great grandmother were from Geraci Siciulo. His name was Cosimo Geraci. Her name was Grace. Don’t know her maiden name.
Looking for relatives in Geraci by the last name of CHI CHI.
My grandfather come to America in 1897 to NYC.
Hello, I am researching my family history.
My grandparents, Pietro Puleo and Gaetana Daino from GC.
Please see comment below from Gail. She is my friend and is assisting me.
Need help.
I will be in Girachi Siculo in July, meeting with Giuseppe Puleo. Can we meet?
Thank you
Researching the names Pietro Puleo (born 5 April 1869 and his wife, Gaetana Daino (born 13 Feb 1877) both born in Geraci Siculo. Looking for their ancestors who stayed in Italy and who may have immigrated to the US. They had 8 children (first 4 born in Geraci): Guiseppe Georgio (1900), Lucia (1902) married Favio Giuffrida, Rosaria (1903) married Angelo DiDio), Angelina (1905). Born in US, Maria (1907), Rosario (1908), Nunsiata (1910) and Alfredo (1922). Would love to know more about grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins…
Anyone with information on their ancestors, please contact me. I am researching for a friend who is traveling to Italy for a few months this summer. Thank you!!
My paternal grandparents were born in Palormo. Grandfathers name was Giatano Ferrara born around 1892. Immigrated to NY around July of 1912.
Do not know much about his parents or his life in Italy.
His wife was Barbara (Mary) Durante, her fathers name was Liborio Durante, but that is about all I know about her. She died in NY around 1916-1917.
My grandfather Bartolomeo Maniscalco was born February 19, 1879 in Geraci Siculo Palermo, Sicily Italy. He came to the United States om 1903.
Any information regarding ancestors would be greatly appreciated.
My grandfather was born in 1896 in Sicily and wrote to family in a town called Galacti Monmartino (my memory is fuzzy) so I am taking a leap of faith and hoping it is Geraci Siculo. His surname is Sutera and his parents were Calogero and Francesca. If this isn’t the town does Galacti even exist?
Thank you
My grandparents were PARAVECCHIO and FERRANTE. They were from the little town of Geraci, Sicily and later moved to the United States. If anyone has any information, it would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Sonia Paravecchio Smith
Grandfather, Michael Iuppa, of Geraci Sicolo. We are related to Nicolo Iuppa family who currently resides in Geraci. His son is Luigi, daughter Anna (I think) and one other son. Any additional information would be appreciated.
Hello Martha,
I am Ana, grand daughter of Joseph Iuppa, born in Geraci Siculo. I am cousin to Nocolo’ and family. Several of my Rochester, NY cousins have visited them. I have spoken with Nicolo” and Anna by phone, exchanged letters and e-mail. I will share this link with Luigi, in hopes that he will contact you re. his family.
I can also share photos and related info.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
My grandparents were from Geraci Siculo, emigrating to the US in 1896. Is anyone out there familiar with them or our ancestors? Rosario Leonarda, born of Giuseppe Leonarda and Angela LoPizzo in 1866. Giuseppe Leonarda was born of Francesco Leonarda and Maria Zangara. My grandmother was Francesca Maggio, born of Giuseppe Maggio and Francesca Purpura. Giuseppe Maggio’s father was supposedly from Lorraine, France.
My husband’s great-grandfather was Rosario Leonarda; married to Francesca Maggio. They came to the US (??), and lived in Pittsburgh, PA.
My Grandmother was from Geraci Siculo. Her name was Dominica Maggio. She also went by Maimee or Mayme for her first name. To the best of my calculations, she was born in 1894. She came to the United States by ship with her sisters, one of whom was Martha. She did not come through Ellis Island but through Pittsburg, I believe. She was Roman Catholic. She met and married Joseph Duca here, in the U.S.
She died in 1970 from complications of diabetes, suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. She was 76 years of age when she passed in 1970. Based on this information, she would have been born in 1894. Can you tell me anything, her birthday – day and month, who her parents and siblings were, and if there is family remaining in Geraci?
My Grandfather, Joseph Duca, was from Gangi. He came to the U.S. when he was a young man. His family has a delivery or trucking business in Gangi.
He passed away in 1980 at the age of either 87 or 88, which would make his year of birth 1892 or 1893. He was a laborer and worked in construction. He joined the army in order to leave Italy and avoid being a driver for a business that he did not want to work with. I think there are family members still in Gangi. Can you tell me his birth date? If there are family still living in Gangi.
My great grandfather was born in Geraci Italy according to records I have found here in the states. He arrived in New York at Ellis Island on 28 April 1921 at the age of 15. He lived in Geraci with his grandfather Vincenzo Mule’ his namesake. He was born on 16 April 1906. His father is Benedetto Mule’ born on Aug 6, 1877. I would love to have dates for there spouses and confirm that my information is correct. Please help. I have been researching this line for over 20 years. Just recently I found that Vincenzo was born in Geraci.Again Father is Benedetto Mule’ born 6 Aug 1877 in Italy. Mother is Giuseppa or Giuseppina. She was born 10 Jan 1886 in Italy. Both immigrated to the US. Giuseppa/Giuseppina’s mother is Conetta Paruta and Father is Antonio Palazzolo. I have no more information that I can give you. I would love to find as much information as possible.
Hi Carrie!
Based on your post we may be related…my Grandfather was Domenico Palazzolo who died in Long Branch, NJ in 1960, his parents (My Great Grandparents) were Antonio and Concetta Paruta Palazzolo from Geraci.
My grandmother and grandfather were from Geraci siculo. My Grandmother Giuseppa Iuppa (mother Maria Giuseppa Valenza, father Francesco Iuppa) and my grandfather was Ignazio Polizz (mother Venere Viccella, father Francesco Polizzi) I’m looking for any information I can obtain. I even took a vacation there and roamed the town cemetery as well as the town hall. Lack of communication on my part didn’t get me too far. Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated
My grandmother and grandfather are from Geraci Siculo. My grandmother was Concetta Iuppa and my gradfather was Gaetano Farinella. I am looking for more info on their parents/grandparents. Any advice. They immigrated to US in 1927.