Military records for Umbria
Military records are essential for genealogical research as they contain detailed information on men subject to military service.
Before unification, however, the situation was different. The Papal States, which governed Umbria until 1860, had no system of conscription. The only exception came under French rule (1810–1814), when Napoleon imposed conscription in the Dipartimento del Trasimeno.
Liste di leva
The liste di leva (draft lists) record all young men of a given birth class who were called for military service, whether or not they actually served. They usually record each man’s identifying details (name, parentage, birth data), basic physical description, literacy/occupation, and the outcome of the draft.
They are preserved both by the local municipalities (comuni) and by the archivi di Stato.
Ruoli matricolari
The ruoli matricolari (service registers) follow those men judged fit for service through their entire military career. They generally include full personal details along with a man’s entire military career — units served, campaigns, promotions, injuries, decorations, and discharge status.
In Umbria, ruoli matricolari survive for the districts of Perugia, Spoleto, and Orvieto. Some have paper indexes digitized locally (Perugia and Spoleto) and others are available online (Orvieto/Viterbo).
Military districts
The distretto militare (military district) was the Italian state’s local military subdivision, primarily responsible for conscription, recruitment, and maintaining ruoli matricolari (enlistment registers).
Only after the annexation of Umbria to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860 did conscription become systematic. To manage it, the government established military districts, whose borders shifted over time.
Subpages
Summary Tables for Territorial Changes
Bonus Military Sources
- Atti mortuari di soldati negli eserciti napoleonici che per nascita appartennero al dipartimento del Trasimeno (1808–1814) – death records for men born in the Trasimeno department who died while serving in the Napoleonic armies.
- Mémoire des hommes portal - Napoleonic-era enlistment records for Trasimène