Italy
Basilicata
Potenza
Bella is a comune in the provincia of Potenza, Basilicata with a population of 4,591 as of 2025. Between 1830 and 1912, at least 1,626 passengers departing from Bella 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).
Centri abitati
AltitudePopulation- Bella662m2,347
- San Cataldo912m857
- Sant'Antonio Casalini Vecchio760m60
- Bagni di San Cataldo874m55
- Sant'Antonio Casalini690m43
- Re Pupillo620m41
- Stazione di Bella-Muro338m35
Nuclei abitati
AltitudePopulation- Carlotta527m36
- Valle della Pietra854m21
- Martiniglio777m12
- Pietra Scritta580m3
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 28% since 1951. Recorded US arrivals from Bella between 1830 and 1912 equal 35% of its current population, peaking in 1902. Since 2001, net international immigration has added the equivalent of 7% of the current population.
Total US arrivals
2k
1830–1912
Peak year
1902
223 arrivals
Cittadinanza per discendenza
Could a line from Bella qualify for Italian citizenship?
Between 1830 and 1912, at least 1,626 passengers from Bella arrived in the United States. Arrivals peaked in 1902. 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.
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Born in Bella (PZ), Italy
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Top Emigrant Cognomi
Most common cognomi (family names) among emigrants from Bella recorded in US arrivals, 1830 to 1912.
Notable People
People born in Bella.