Parish records are arguably the most valuable source of genealogical information in Italy. This is particularly true in Tuscany, where civil registration has been consistently maintained only since 1865. Compounding this limitation, relatively few Tuscan civil records have been digitized or made available for public access, creating challenges for amateur and professional researchers alike. Parish records present their own set of obstacles; however, with the appropriate approach, direct access can usually be obtained by local researchers.

Using a case study from the province of Lucca, this webinar illustrates both the opportunities and challenges of working with parish records. It begins with an overview of the types of records available and the institutions that hold them, then examines the administrative and practical challenges of gaining access and strategies for overcoming them. The webinar concludes with a discussion of the challenges presented by the records themselves, as well as the exciting genealogical insights they can yield.

The webinar is suitable for both beginner and advanced researcher