This wonderfully informative site is an excellent starting point to researching your Jewish/Italian ancestry.  You’ll find everything from DNA information to former surnames of Jews by provinces such as Rome, Venice and Sicily. There are also plenty of resource links to explore.  Definitely worth checking it out!  For more Jewish names check out our post Italian Jewish Surnames & Genealogy – Part I.  

From Italian Family History:

Italy has a very important role in Jewish history and genealogy: it is located centrally on the Mediterranean sea and serves as an important crossroad and an intersection between North and South, East and West, Sephardic and Ashkenazi culture.
If your ancestors lived in or came from Europe, there
are many possibilities that a branch of your family went through Italy. 

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Delving into the research of surnames, also known as last names or family names, is an exciting way to learn more about your family history. When researching Italian surnames, you will quickly find that each family name in Italy was formed for a particular purpose. Italy has always been known for its lively and extraordinary land and people, and Italian names exhibit these same qualities.

In the age of ancient Rome, individuals were named in three parts. These parts included a basic first name, a name in which a person’s family was identified, and also a unique name that described that individual.

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Some of you may recognize this site as the one used by Susan Sarandon on Who Do You Think You Are which aired April 24, 2010. You plug in your Italian Surname and it will show you the concentration of the surname in various regions throughout Italy. An excellent resource for beginners and seasoned researchers alike. GENS Italia