Immigration

After the unification of Italy, which began with Garibaldi's invasion of Sicily in 1860, the sharp division between the industrial North and the poorer and agricultural South continued unabated.  As a result, millions of Italians from the "mezzogiorno" sunk into even more desperate poverty.  It is estimated that Sicily alone lost over two million souls from the 1880s to the 1920s.  Over 100,000 Sicilians came to the United States alone between 1880 and 1906.  This illustration here, entitled "On the Threshold" gives some idea of the destitution of the people.

When looking for immigration records, it is important to remember two things.  First, Not all Italians came through Ellis Island, which was only open from 1892 to 1926. Many came through New Orleans, Philadelphia, Boston and other ports. Second, Sicilian women immigrated under what we would call their maiden names.  To be sure that you have found the correct female ancestor, look for the children she traveled with, if any, and the town she was coming from, if available on the record.