How to Trace Ancestry From the Mediterranean

Tracing Mediterranean ancestry can take you to three continents; Europe, Asia and Africa. Immigration from Eastern Europe countries such as Spain and Italy began early on in the 17th century making it more difficult to find records. Immigration ports, such as Ellis Island, set up to receive immigrants recorded information that is available for research today. You must know the first-generation immigrant's name, age and country of origin to conduct a search out of the United States. Start your research at a local historical library where genealogy records are kept or search Internet genealogical sites.

Instructions

1

Begin a search using the Internet to find records that are available online. Check Cyndi's List (cyndislist.com) for links for specific country research. It will direct you to websites that have census records, immigration and passengers lists, burial records, wills and family research groups where you can check a specific surname.

2

Start with the U.S. Gen Web Project (usgenweb.org). It has records submitted by researchers from every state. You can check surname lists and choose to search any of the 50 states pages. The site has several special projects that collect genealogical material such as the cemetery project, marriage records and census image project. This site can give you necessary information to lead you to the first immigrant in your ancestry line. From this point, you will know where to continue your search.

3

Continue your research with the Family Search website through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, LDS (familysearch.org). The LDS has the largest genealogical research data system in the world. The website will allow you to search Mediterranean ancestry through its database and family history library that includes special information for African-American, Jewish and Hispanic research.

There are libraries in every state that offer free research. The website offers a list of libraries throughout the country.

4

Search specific countries through the Mediterranean Gen Web Project (mediterraneangenweb). Scroll down their homepage and click the country of interest. Each country page displays a list of records that are online such as surname lists, births, marriages and death records.

5

Visit the World Gen Web Project (worldgenweb.org). You can check surname listings that are online through the site. Researchers submit information at Gen Web sites to assist other researchers and make connections with others researching the same family line. The site has a section that gives instruction on how to get started in your search.

Check Roots Web (rootsweb.ancestry.com). It gives a list with links to websites dedicated to other countries including the African and Asian continents. It also has websites from individual countries and family research sites. Roots Web is not a free site, but some libraries have a membership that you can utilize through their research rooms.