Correspondence searches 

In recent years, the Archivio di Stato di Benevento, like all State Archive, has seen an increase in requests for research by correspondence, especially from fourth and third generation emigrants, whose ancestors left Italy in search of luck. 

Personal and administrative reasons are closely intertwined in these requests which often encounter difficulties as the surnames have undergone considerable changes. In fact, at the end of the 19th century, on ships transporting emigrants to Latin America, it often happened that the original documents were destroyed, to make a possible return journey more problematic. Upon disembarkation, a local official transcribed the data as he understood them, giving the new arrivals a new document and sometimes, consequently, a new identity. 

The Archivio di Stato di Benevento creates databases by indexing the names taken from the birth certificates of the Civil Status, from the registers of matriculation role and military service results, from the criminal sentences of the Court, from the files of the political and judicial records of the Police Headquarters. 

Who to send the request to: 

Requests for mail searches should be addressed in one of the following ways: 

– By post to the Director of the State Archives of Benevento, Via G. De Vita, n. 3 – 82100 Benevento; 

– By email at as-bn@cultura.gov.it. 

The subject of the request must be well defined and the request must be accompanied by all useful information to limit the investigation. Requests that are too general or extensive cannot be processed. The State Archives cannot in fact replace the activity of researchers, as its tasks do not include the carrying out, upon request, of wide-ranging investigations or the drafting of reports and monographs on behalf of third parties. It is therefore suggested to consult in advance the database of the Institute’s archival heritage which provides general information on all the funds preserved by the Archivio di Stato di Benevento. 

The request will be processed within 30 days of receipt.