Italian Military Records

There are several different types of military records available for Italian ancestors. These records can provide valuable genealogical and biographical information about your ancestors. The primary record types are:

Conscription Records (Registro di Leva): Conscription records (or military registrations) have been required for all males at age eighteen since 1865. These registrations took place in specially designated military districts within each province, and are divided into different class for each annual registration. If you are unsure about the exact period when an ancestor would have turned eighteen, several classes may have to be researched surrounding an approximated period of years.

The records for most pre-World War I registrations are held in the provincial archives for the province wherein the residence was located at the time. More recent records may be found among the collections of the actual military district. Genealogically, they all include name of registrant, date and place of birth, and names of parents. They also provide physical descriptions and even emigration details if the place of their destination was known.

Draftee Curriculum of Service Record (Registro dei Foglie Matricolari): These records provide details about a man’s military service. They also provide information about promotions.

Discharge Records (Folglio di Congedo Illmitato): If a soldier did serve in the active military, a discharge record should be available. These records provide birth information, parents’ names, details of military service, physical description, occupation, and other details.

Finding Military Records

Military records are first kept by the various military districts. However, after 75 years, the records are moved to provincial archives and made available to the public. Generally, the provincial archives are where you need to look for military records. However, in recent years, the Family History has begun to microfilm some of these records.