Back to Resources

About Italian Military Records

Military and conscription records contain very precious genealogical information. They provide not only vital information on your Italian ancestor but also physical information. 

Conscription records also called Registri di Leva or Liste di Estrazione di Leva list all Italian male-born from approximately 1855 (the imposition of the draft – conscription of all 18-years old males – dates back 1865), by year of birth, for each military district. The introduction of these records varies from geographical areas, but mostly they started around 1873, thus including all males born in 1855.

Military records were issued in dual copy; one is held in the military archive of each military district, the other is initially held by the Procura della Repubblica (Country Court at province level) and after 75 years, it is sent to the State Archive of the main province. Researching conscription records in the main provinces of the region of origin can be a unique way to start your research that otherwise would have been impossible (as far as town halls and parishes are concerned, you MUST know the comune of origin of your ancestor).

These records contain personal data that cannot be found in any other source, such as:

  • Height
  • Size of the chest
  • Color and shape of hair, face, nose, and chin
  • Eye color
  • Skin color
  • Condition of the teeth, 
  • Birthmarks, if any
     

In addition, you will be able to find the following vital information:

  • Draftee’s full name
  • His parents’ names
  • His place of birth
  • His profession
  • His education (whether he was able to read and write or not)
  • Ability to perform military services 
  • Date the service began

The most valuable Military Record is the Ruolo Matricolare which records all the developments in the military career, from promotions to changes in status.

Let My Italian Family Do The Work For You!

Give us a call! We offer a FREE Telephone Consultation for applicants who have questions regarding qualification, required documentation, estimated cost, timelines, and tips on how to make an appointment with an Italian Consulate here in the U.S. (among other questions). We will also perform some free preliminary research to establish if you have a path to Italian Citizenship! Call us at 1-844-741-0848, we are ALWAYS OPEN!

Alternatively, you can book your FREE consultation at your convenience.

At My Italian Family, we provide FULL assistance, handling all the purchasing and preparation of your entire portfolio of documents, whether you apply at an Italian Consulate here in the U.S. or you apply in Italy (including 1948 Challenge Courts Cases). Our experience spans 20 years, and we have expert knowledge of what each Italian Consulate requires and what the Italian Courts require. TO GET STARTED AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, CLICK HERE.