Acerenza

Potenza (PZ)Codice catastaleA020

833 m elevation · Pop. 1,866

Basilicata

Potenza

Acerenza is a comune in the provincia of Potenza, Basilicata with a population of 2,045 as of 2025. Between 1830 and 1912, at least 21 passengers departing from Acerenza 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.

Address

Via Vittorio Emanuele III
85011 Acerenza

Map

Località

Each Italian comune is divided into località (localities), which include centri abitati (populated centers) and nuclei abitati (smaller settlements).

Centri abitati

AltitudePopulation
  • Acerenza833m1,860
  • Tenuta Gala830m6

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 61% since 1951. US arrivals peaked in 1912 with 12 recorded passengers.

Related guide

Italian Immigration to America

What drove families to leave Acerenza for America, and what the crossing was like.

Read guide

Total US arrivals

21

1830–1912

Peak year

1912

12 arrivals

Cittadinanza per discendenza

Could a line from Acerenza qualify for Italian citizenship?

Between 1830 and 1912, at least 21 passengers from Acerenza arrived in the United States. Arrivals peaked in 1912. 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 line
Your lineYou fill this in

Italian-born ancestor

Your ancestor from Acerenza

Born in Acerenza (PZ), Italy

Each generation between

Name and dates

Did this person naturalize before their child was born?

You

A likely outcome

and the documents your line would need

Not ready to start? Get an email when the citizenship rules change.

Top Emigrant Cognomi

Most common cognomi (family names) among emigrants from Acerenza recorded in US arrivals, 1830 to 1912.

  1. 1.Giamario3
  2. 2.Allis1
  3. 3.Buganoni1
  4. 4.Cancellaro1
  5. 5.Di borra1
  6. 6.Forenza1
  7. 7.Giglio1
  8. 8.Lamarucciola1
  9. 9.Mazzaro1
  10. 10.Movaco1

Browse all cognomi

Notable People

People born in Acerenza.

  • Luigi Forenzab. 1933
  • Silvia Restainob. 1899
  • Antonio Cardillob. 1958
  • Antonio CastronuovoITb. 1954

Other comuni in Potenza

Browse all comuni in Potenza