About the Waldensian Families Research Website
Waldensian descendants preparing to hike the last mile to their ancestral home at Borgata Cardoni near Roccapiatta
The Piedmont Families Organization (PFO) was established in June 1978 to coordinate the search for the ancestors of a group of Waldensian immigrants to America in the mid-1800s. The initial focus was to use the notary records of the Waldensian Valleys to identify the ancestors of those immigrants earlier than the surviving parish registers (about 1709).
More recent discoveries have uncovered additional records to assist in the ancestral search. As our research progressed, it became clear that making abstracts of these records more widely available, through this website, would be beneficial to Waldensian descendants throughout the world.
The goals of the site are twofold:
- Provide training on methodologies and resources to find and document your Waldensian ancestors
- Provide easy access to Waldensian sources and databases to support your search
To see what resources are included on this site, click HERE.
The way you use the website will depend on your objectives and experience as a family history researcher:
- If you have limited experience doing Waldensian genealogy, it is recommended that you go the the Waldensian Research page and follow the 5 Simple Steps to Finding Your Waldensian Ancestors.
- If you already understand the basics of Waldensian research and want to get started as quickly as possible, go to the Quick Start.
- If you have already decided which data resources you want to use, use the menu to the left to go directly to those resources.
- If you want to learn more about Waldensian history, culture, and lifestyle go to Waldensian Miscellanea.
Documents on this site use the PDF format. If you do not have Adobe Reader, it can be downloaded free from the ADOBE web site.
Although this site is in English, our native language, many of the records are written in Italian or French. Do not let this deter you if you do not speak these languages. Many aids and suggestions are provided to help you. For suggestions and warnings in dealing with unfamiliar languages, click HERE.
If you find the information on this website useful in the search for your ancestors, we encourage your support of our research project. Record abstraction can only proceed with your continued contributions. To learn how to donate, click HERE.
Please note that all material on this site is copyrighted by the Piedmont Families Organization, Inc. and is intended for personal use only. Duplication or redistribution is prohibited. Permission is granted (a) to use this information to identify one’s own ancestral families and to assist others—without fee—to do so, and (b) to create internet links to this site. Attribution must be given for any information obtained from this site.