Italy
Abruzzo
Chieti
Palena is a comune in the provincia of Chieti, Abruzzo with a population of 1,203 as of 2025. Between 1830 and 1912, at least 781 passengers departing from Palena arrived in the United States.
Contact
To request vital records from the anagrafe (records office), write to the PEC address or email below. Include the full name, approximate date, and record type in Italian.
Map
Località
Each Italian comune is divided into località (localities), which include centri abitati (populated centers) and nuclei abitati (smaller settlements).
Centro abitato
AltitudePopulation- Palena767m1,122
Nucleo abitato
AltitudePopulation- Rione Sant'Antonio873m90
Population and Migration
This chart shows annual resident population, US arrivals (1830 to 1912), and international migration (2001 to present). Not all data is available for every period, so gaps are normal.
The population has declined 70% since 1861. Recorded US arrivals from Palena between 1830 and 1912 equal 65% of its current population, peaking in 1900.
Total US arrivals
781
1830–1912
Peak year
1900
114 arrivals
Cittadinanza per discendenza
Could a line from Palena qualify for Italian citizenship?
Between 1830 and 1912, at least 781 passengers from Palena arrived in the United States. Arrivals peaked in 1900. If one of them is your ancestor, Italy may recognize you as a citizen under jure sanguinis (citizenship by descent).
The birthplace alone does not decide it. Each generation between that ancestor and you does: who naturalized, and when. Since the 2025 law, the number of generations matters too.
The checker goes back through your line one generation at a time. It is not legal advice, and it does not search for records.
Check your lineItalian-born ancestor
Your ancestor from Palena
Born in Palena (CH), Italy
Each generation between
Name and dates
Did this person naturalize before their child was born?
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A likely outcome
and the documents your line would need
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Top Emigrant Cognomi
Most common cognomi (family names) among emigrants from Palena recorded in US arrivals, 1830 to 1912.
- 1.Liberatore40
- 2.Campana31
- 3.Ferrara22
- 4.Parente18
- 5.Paterra14
- 6.Chiaverini12
- 7.Del bene12
- 8.Mascetta12
- 9.Carozza12
- 10.Carrozza12
Notable People
People born in Palena.