Genealogy Academy

Studying Your Roots with Method and Awareness

The Genealogy Academy was created from the decades-long experience of the Museo del Cognome and from the research work carried out by Michele Cartusciello since 1984.

It is a place for education, study, and exchange, designed for those who wish to learn how to reconstruct their family history in a rigorous, informed, and well-documented way.

The Academy brings together theory, archival practice, and methodology, offering structured learning paths for beginners, enthusiasts, and advanced researchers.

A Practical Approach to Genealogy

Genealogy is not just curiosity: it is a discipline that requires method, knowledge of sources, and the ability to interpret historical documents.

For this reason, the Academy offers courses organized in progressive levels, guiding students:

  • from the first steps of home-based research

  • to the advanced use of civil, religious, and notarial archives

  • through the critical reading and interpretation of historical sources

Each program is built on real documents, case studies, and tools used daily by professional genealogists.

Educational Programs

Below are the first three programs that will be offered online starting in spring 2026.

Foundations of Genealogical Research

This introductory course is designed for those approaching genealogy for the first time.

It begins with family pre-research, teaching students how to recognize and make use of documents often already found at home: certificates, letters, photographs, passports, postcards, official records, and family memorabilia.

The course covers:

  • the meaning and history of surnames

  • genealogical charts (lineage line, ancestor table, family tree, descendant table)

  • Italian civil records: birth, marriage, and death certificates

  • reading and interpreting records from different historical periods

  • creating and managing a GEDCOM file, the international standard for genealogical data storage

By the end of the course, students are able to begin an independent and structured genealogical research project.

Historical Sources and Archives

The second level focuses on the main documentary sources used in historical genealogical research.

The course examines:

  • military records and draft lists

  • parish registers (baptisms, marriages, deaths)

  • Stati delle Anime , essential for reconstructing family groups

  • the Catasto Onciario (Kingdom of Naples)

  • the Catasto Murattiano , as an inventory of land and property

The goal is to provide students with the tools needed to:

  • navigate civil and ecclesiastical archives

  • understand the historical and social context of documents

  • reconstruct families, assets, and territorial dynamics

Advanced Research and Notarial Sources

The third level is dedicated to advanced genealogical research and is aimed at scholars, researchers, and professionals.

The core of the course is the study of notarial records, one of the richest and most compelling sources for historical genealogy. Through wills, contracts, and property deeds, it becomes possible to reconstruct daily life, family relationships, and the economic context of ancestors.

Topics include:

  • wills and donations

  • sales, leases, and loans

  • receipts and powers of attorney

  • marriage contracts

  • inventories of assets

The program also includes:

  • special collections ( Collegio dei Dottori, Collegio Medico Salernitano, Acta Doctoratus )

  • priestly ordinations and diocesan archives

  • orientation tools for working within Italian State Archives