Genealogy in Salemi
Tracing your Italian roots back to Salemi (in Trapani province, Sicilia region) begins with understanding which records exist and where they are preserved. On this page you’ll find a clear guide to the civil, parish and historical sources available for genealogy in Salemi.
How to research your ancestry in Salemi
Thanks to its network of local experts, Italianside has developed significant experience in genealogical research in the province of Trapani. For this reason, over the years it has become a reliable reference for those wishing to reconnect with their Italian roots and could be a key partner in the success of your research too. You can read the feedbacks of our customers on our testimonials page
Our experts in Sicilia region, conducted genealogy research on historical families from Salemi, involving many surnames traditionally found in the town, including branches of the following families: Angelo, Ardagna, Cappello, Caradonna, Caruso, Crimi, Drago, Grassa, Gucciardi, Lombardo, Maniscalco, Marino, Messina, Palermo, Renda and others.
Many records relating to families and individuals are already stored in our databases and include, in addition to names and dates, further information such as occupations, residential addresses, and key family and social relationships within the Salemi community in past centuries.
Part of the information used by ItalianSide in genealogy research derives from a proprietary archive of on-site research conducted over many years in Salemi and Sicilia by our experts. This archive includes studies, family trees, and data not available online, such as cross-referenced family relationships, occupational histories, deciphered or translated documents, residential patterns, and visual documentation.
Research activities may include all major sources available at municipal, provincial, and regional level:
• civil records
• parish registers
• emigrants database
• notarial archives
• military records
• cadastral and property records
• historical and photographic sources available in private archives
Direct access to local archives and a deep understanding of the local context allow for more complete and accurate results. Research may be carried out using all available sources in both public and private archives.
ItalianSide research: Beyond Names and Dates
Italian genealogy is deeply local. It can’t be reduced only about collecting birth and death dates.
In Sicilia, every municipality — including Salemi — has its own archival history, record‑keeping traditions, and unique documentary sources. This is why Italianside is able to help you in your Italian ancestry research, through a national network of local experts, each specialized in the archives of their specific territory.
Our researcher who works in Salemi and in the Province of Trapani knows how to navigate local civil, parish, military, and notarial records, uncovering details that go far beyond basic dates. By combining national coordination and methodology with deep local expertise, our researcher will bring your ancestors’ stories back to life within the history of the Salemi community.
Civil Records (Stato Civile) in Salemi
In towns and villages of Sicilia and in Trapani province, civil registration offices were established in 1809. This means you can often find your ancestors’ civil records in the Town Hall archives of Salemi from that year onwards.
(If your goal is to obtain Italian citizenship and you need official certificates from Salemi, please follow this link.)
If you know that your ancestors lived in Salemi during the past centuries, the City Office of Salemi is usually the first place to start your family research. Our local expert can access these records on your behalf and interpret them correctly.
- Professions: discover what your ancestors did for a living.
- Addresses: find the street or house where the family lived in Salemi.
- Family links: identify parents, witnesses and neighbours that appear in the records.
- Signatures and notes: see how your ancestors signed and read any marginal annotations.
If you prefer to contact the Town Hall by yourself, we suggest reading our genealogy tips for Italy. They include practical advice for research in Sicilia and specifically in Salemi.
Salemi Emigrants Database
Looking for ancestors who left Salemi? Explore our Salemi Emigrants Database to discover people who emigrated from this municipality, their destinations, travel details, and other available records. The database is continuously growing thanks to historical sources and contributions from our visitors.
Browse the emigrants database from Salemi
Population trends in Salemi
The chart below shows the demographic trends in Salemi from the Italian Unification (1861). Understanding how many people lived in the town over time is useful when interpreting migration and family movements.
Church Records in Salemi
Church archives in Trapani province often preserve information that predates civil records. Parish registers include baptisms, marriages and burials and sometimes allow you to push your family tree back into the 1700s and 1600s.
In many areas of Sicilia, parish registers began around the 1500s. These manuscripts are not easy to access from abroad and can be hard to read without specific training.
Our local genealogists, graduated in history and archival studies, can consult the parish archives of Salemi on your behalf and reconstruct your family history through the centuries.
In case you want to visit churches, these are the addresses of parishes active today in Salemi:
MARIA SS. DEL PARADISO – Pusillesi
MARIA SS. DELLA CONFUSIONE NELLA TRASFIGURAZIONE D – P.zza Cappuccini
MARIA SS. DELLA MISERICORDIA – Via Matteotti, 111
MARIA SS. DI TRAPANI – 91018 ULMI TP
S. FRANCESCO DI PAOLA – P.zza S. Francesco di Paola
S. NICOLO’ DI BARI – P.zza Lampiasi
S. NICOLO’ DI BARI – P.zza Lampiasi
Notary records and other historical sources
Another important source of information is represented by notary documents, which preserve wills, dowries, property sales and contracts. These records are usually kept in provincial and State Archives and can provide valuable details on the social and economic life of your family.
The provincial archive is:
Archivio di Stato di Trapani
Address: S. Anna, 22 – Trapani
Phone: +390923 546355 552706
Days and opening hours: from mon. to fri. :from 08,00 to 18,00 sat. :from 08,00 to 13,30 weekly closing: Sunday; no reservation
Military records
Conscription lists and service records documenting physical descriptions, dates and places of enlistment, units and ranks held, periods of service, military postings, transfers, and movements, often providing detailed insight into an individual’s life beyond civil registration.
Cadastral and property records in Salemi
Historical cadastral and land records used to identify property ownership, track real estate transfers over time, and confirm the historical presence of families within Salemi. ItalianSide provides professional assistance in accessing and interpreting these records, where available.
Historical and photographic sources available in private archives
Historical photographs, prints, and documents from private collections—including ItalianSide’s archive of vintage images from Salemi and Sicilia region are available. Old pictures add significant value to your family history research and offer a real sense of the places where your ancestors once lived.
Planning a visit to Salemi
From our experience, if you plan to visit Salemi we always recommend starting the research months before your arrival. This way you avoid spending your holidays in offices or churches dealing with bureaucracy.
Remember that archives are not open to the general public and officers or priests are not required by law to grant direct access to the records.
With the results collected by our genealogist before your trip, you will have more time to enjoy the town and its surroundings, walking in the footsteps of your ancestors.
Need help finding information about your ancestors in Salemi?
Get a private reply from our local genealogist, or post a public message in this page.
Ask our local Genealogist
Send a private message to our local genealogy expert for Salemi. You will usually receive a personal reply by email within 24 hours.
Ask the Community
Write a public message below, other readers can view and reply. Our genealogy expert for Salemi may not monitor this page regularly.
My great great grandfather was Nicolò scimemi from Salemi, died in 1769. There are several streetsin Salemi named after him. Id love to know more about this family
Looking for info in Alberto Palermo (b.1847) who married a Marion Lombardo (b.1859) also a francesco Cammarata (1854) who married a Marianna Palermo (1865) I think Alberto was the son of Francesco Palermo and Mettia Romano. All four are my great grandparents who came from Salemi to Boston Massachusetts in the early 1900s
My grandfather was Giuseppe Cammarata who came to the U. S. from Salemi in the early twentieth century. Went back to get a bride and returned with her, my grandmother, Maria Marino, in 1924. In those days Irish immigrants could come directly into Boston but Sicilians had to come in through Ellis Island. Other family names from Salemi are Alessi and Grasso or Lo Grasso.
Hello. I had a great grandfather names Carmello Palermo born in salemi, Italy on May 4 1898 and great grandmother named Mary (paglialunga) Palermo on Feb 2 1903 in pachino, Italy. I am looking for any information on any family still living in italy I can reconnect with (lost cousins or tias or tios) also I am looking for information on where to find birth records or how to a quote them since I live in the United States.
My grandmothers name was Vincenza gandolfo born in salemi in 1897. She came to America as a small child. She had a brother named victor and a sister named giusippina. She married my grandfather. His name was Francesco Riggio born in 1892 in Santa Ninfa. He has 3 sisters Josephine, Jenny and Marian. I was looking for relatives from my side as our little piece of this family is getting smaller and smaller
JoAnn,
My grandmother’s name was Francesca Riggio born in Santa Ninfa in 1880. She had a sister Giovanna (Jenny) born about 1886. Their father’s name was Vito Riggio. May be a connection.
LOOKING FOR INFO ONTEODORO DIVIRGILIO CHIEF OF JUSTICE 1564-65 AND BARON OF ALVANO
ALSO ANTONIO DIVIRGILIO JUDGE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE PALERMO 1626-28
Looking for relatives in salemi sicily. My grandfather was vito Rosa, wife Frances /Francesca
two sons Paulo and Joseph.
My grandparents came to America from Salemi around the year 1910. Their last names were vultaggio or vertaggio and Grillo. We are planning a trip next year and would like as much information as possible to see if my mother has any living relatives in Salemi.
Thank you
Hi Janice
I’m looking for a Josephine Grillo (she was my great grandmother and would’ve come over about the same time you mention above I believe).
Hi,
My husband’s Great Great Grandfather is buried in Salemi.How do I find out where he’s buried?The cemetary is not listed on the death certificate(at least it doesn’t appear so).
Lori
Looking for any information about Vito Rosa and wife Francesca or Frances. Two sons Paulo and Joseph
Any information greatly appreciated. Would love to know about my family.
My grandfather was born in Salemi on February 8, 1903. He had 8 siblings and his mother’s name was Guiseppa D’Angelo and his father was Francis LoPorto (LaPorto?). I can’t find any information on him or his parents. He came to the United States in January 1921 but I can’t find any information on his parents or his life in Italy.
My have traced my Great Grandparents to Salemi, Trapani Sicilia. There names are Arcangelo Calamusa (1853-?) and Angela Pedome (1854-?). I would like information regarding their births and possibly any information about their parents, grandparents, etc. Thank you.
Donald
I have found the original birth record of Francesco Paolo Calamuso, born in Salemi on March 22, 1853, son of Nicolo Calamuso, age 46 years, a farmer, and of Maria Liuzzo, age 25 years. They were then residing in Via Rabato. The birth was declared by the midwife, Anna Casannovo, age 62 years old. If this is your great-grandparent, I’ll be happy to forward the record to you and translate it if necessary.
I don’t know if you got previous reply to your question. I have a copy of the original birth record of your grandfather, Salvatore LoPorto, who was born in Salemi on February 8,1903, the son of Francesco LoPorto, age 53 years, a farmer, and of Giuseppa Angelo, age 44 years, a housewife.
Would still love to get a copy of the birth certificate. Thank you
Joseph says:
November 30, 2017 at 9:08 pm
I don’t know if you got previous reply to your question. I have a copy of the original birth record of your grandfather, Salvatore LoPorto, who was born in Salemi on February 8,1903, the son of Francesco LoPorto, age 53 years, a farmer, and of Giuseppa Angelo, age 44 years, a housewife.
My great great grandmothers name was giuseppa or giuseppina Angelo. She had 3 boys and 1 girl. Giuseppa or giuseppina, Peter, Nicholas and Joseph. Also born in salemi. We might be distant cousins.
I don’t know if you ever received my reply but I would love to get a copy of my grandfathers birth certificate and learn more about his family. Thank you
I don’t think you ever saw my reply but I would still love to get Salvatore LoPorto’s birth record. I am having a very hard time finding anything in Salemi. Thank you
My grandfather was born on October 26, 1892 in Salemi, Sicily His name is Filipo Renda.
My grandmother was born on December 13, 1886 also in Salemi.
I am interested in their parents and if they had any siblings.
My great-grandmothers maiden name was Renda, Grazia. She was born Feb.2, 1888 in Salemi. Her parents Vincenzo Renda and Giuseppa Ponzo, both born in Salemi. It could be Vincenzo and Filipo were related…perhaps brothers?
Good luck on your search…I am searching too.