In the heart of every Italian-American beats the rhythm of the old country, right? The aroma of simmering tomato sauce, the pleasure of long meals at grandma’s, the feeling of community, and of “belonging” to a large, international family with roots on both sides of the Atlantic are like threads woven into the rich fabric of our heritage. Of course, you know there are large Italian communities not only in the US but everywhere in the world, as we Italians have always been a people of travelers. What may, however, come as a surprise is the fact that there are more people with an Italian heritage around the world than there are Italians in Italy.
Italy, a country renowned for its art, culture, and cuisine, is home to approximately 60 million people. However, the global Italian family is much larger: current estimates suggest that there are at least 80 million people of Italian ancestry scattered across the globe. From the bustling streets of Buenos Aires to the vibrant neighborhoods of Boston, the Italian spirit thrives everywhere!
This global Italian diaspora is the result of three significant waves of emigration from Italy. The first wave, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, saw millions of Italians leave their homeland in search of better economic opportunities, the second wave, post-World War II, was driven by the devastation of the war and the desire for a fresh start; the third wave, finally, has been primarily affecting young people, and is thought to be occurring now, due to the socioeconomic problems caused by the financial crisis of the early 21st century. Many call it the “brain-drain” diaspora, but we prefer to think about it as an exchange of knowledge and skills that can benefit all.
As most of our beloved readers know, the Italian diaspora has created vibrant Italian-heritage communities worldwide and these communities maintain strong ties with their Italian roots, celebrating traditional festivals, preserving Italian culinary traditions, and passing down the Italian language to younger generations.
And here is where things become even more interesting because these millions of people of Italian descent could potentially be eligible for Italian citizenship. Italy has a unique law that grants citizenship to those who can demonstrate Italian ancestry, practically no matter how far back. This law is based on the principle of jure sanguinis or “right of blood,” which considers anyone of Italian descent to be a possible Italian citizen.
To be potentially eligible for Italian citizenship by descent, an individual must have an ancestor who was born in Italy, was alive and not yet a citizen of another country as of March 17, 1861 (the date of the Italian Unification), and did not naturalize in another country before July 1, 1912. If the ancestor never naturalized, the current descendant automatically qualifies.
However, the process is not without its complexities. For example, women could not generally pass on Italian citizenship to children until January 1, 1948. Thus, if a prospective applicant has any female ancestors whose child was born before this date, they must seek recognition in court as opposed to the consular (administrative) path.
Once the descendant has confirmed that the Italian ancestor meets the criteria, they must gather the supporting documentation necessary to demonstrate the same to the satisfaction of the Italian government. This documentation can include old passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, genealogical evidence, national population registry records, ship manifests, Ellis Island records, church records, and more.
So, the Italian diaspora has created a global Italian family larger than the population of Italy itself. This vast network of Italians and Italian descendants around the world contributes to the beauty and wealth of Italian culture worldwide: a mutual process of enrichment and growth that brings together the past and present to create an even brighter future for all nations involved.
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