my Italian Family

From the Founder:

As a way to get help for my own genealogy research, early in 1987, I wrote to Genealogy Helper and a few other genealogy publications, announcing the foundation of POINT and by June, the project was underway.

I had envisioned the project only as a database of Italian surnames, but many people sent tidbits of information about doing Italian genealogy along with their surnames. I put these items into a tiny newsletter called POINTers and sent it free to anyone who wrote to POINT. This continued for about six months and then, in January 1988, POINTers became available only to members of POINT.

In October 1988, we had the first success of cousins who found each other through POINT and that total is now over 20.

Growth of POINT has been gradual but steady; at the end of 1987, we had 199 members and 2500 surnames in the database. As of today, POINT membership had risen to over 4,300 (some 2000 active) with over 23,000 Italian surnames representing 3,000 Italian cities and villages in the POINT Italian Surname Database. POINT is NOT a genealogical research service. Members eagerly share their knowledge and expertise with one another in the pages of the award-winning quarterly journal, POINTers, at POINTers In Person chapter meetings all across the United States and on our POINTers In E-Mail (PIE) mail list either via an exchange of letters through any other personal communication.

Almost from the beginning, we have had members from outside the United States. Canada has been the most prominent of these, but our international distribution has included Japan, Italy, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and recently, Uruguay.

The quarterly journal features articles about Italian genealogical research by both professionals and POINT members, sharing their family stories, giving tips to solve genealogy problems, and requesting assistance. Annual POINT dues are $40 for members in North America and $60 for members outside of North America.

POINT continues to grow as word is spread by genealogy societies and their newsletters, Italian organizations and their publications, libraries (including the Library of Congress), computer bulletin boards and the Internet, our ad in Genealogy Helper and by word of mouth. What the future holds from this time forward, we cannot even imagine, considering our expectations when we began this project and where we have come, thanks to the support of all our members.

...Thomas E. Militello, MD, POINTer #1

PIE -- POINTers In E-Mail: Internet COMMUNICATION For Italian Genealogists

POINTers In E-Mail (PIE) is an electronic mailing list devoted exclusively to Italian Genealogy and related cultural topics. It is an excellent resource for individuals conducting Italian genealogical research in the United States, Italy or other parts of the world. PIE is an unoffical off-shoot of POINT, but POINT and PIE share an independent, yet symbiotic, relationship. Participation is open to anyone with an interest in Italian Genealogy and a desire to learn and share.

For further information on POINT and other related activities, please e-mail Thomas E. Militello at: pointer01@aol.com


International Headquarters Box 14966, Dept. PHP Las Vegas, NV 89114 - 4966 USA
From the Founder: As a way to get help for my own genealogy research, early in 1987, I wrote to Genealogy Helper and a few other genealogy publications, announcing the foundation of POINT and by June, the project was underway. I had envisioned the project only as a database of Italian surnames, but many people sent tidbits of information about doing Italian genealogy along with their surnames. I put these items into a tiny newsletter called POINTers and sent it free to anyone who wrote to POINT. This continued for about six months and then, in January 1988, POINTers became available only to members of POINT. In October 1988, we had the first success of cousins who found each other through POINT and that total is now over 20. Growth of POINT has been gradual but steady; at the end of 1987, we had 199 members and 2500 surnames in the database. As of today, POINT membership had risen to over 4,300 (some 2000 active) with over 23,000 Italian surnames representing 3,000 Italian cities and villages in the POINT Italian Surname Database. POINT is NOT a genealogical research service. Members eagerly share their knowledge and expertise with one another in the pages of the award-winning quarterly journal, POINTers, at POINTers In Person chapter meetings all across the United States and on our POINTers In E-Mail (PIE) mail list either via an exchange of letters through any other personal communication. Almost from the beginning, we have had members from outside the United States. Canada has been the most prominent of these, but our international distribution has included Japan, Italy, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and recently, Uruguay. The quarterly journal features articles about Italian genealogical research by both professionals and POINT members, sharing their family stories, giving tips to solve genealogy problems, and requesting assistance. Annual POINT dues are $40 for members in North America and $60 for members outside of North America. POINT continues to grow as word is spread by genealogy societies and their newsletters, Italian organizations and their publications, libraries (including the Library of Congress), computer bulletin boards and the Internet, our ad in Genealogy Helper and by word of mouth. What the future holds from this time forward, we cannot even imagine, considering our expectations when we began this project and where we have come, thanks to the support of all our members. ...Thomas E. Militello, MD, POINTer #1 PIE -- POINTers In E-Mail: Internet COMMUNICATION For Italian Genealogists POINTers In E-Mail (PIE) is an electronic mailing list devoted exclusively to Italian Genealogy and related cultural topics. It is an excellent resource for individuals conducting Italian genealogical research in the United States, Italy or other parts of the world. PIE is an unoffical off-shoot of POINT, but POINT and PIE share an independent, yet symbiotic, relationship. Participation is open to anyone with an interest in Italian Genealogy and a desire to learn and share. For further information on POINT and other related activities, please e-mail Thomas E. Militello at: pointer01@aol.com