Italy
Molise
Campobasso
Jelsi is a comune in the provincia of Campobasso, Molise with a population of 1,556 as of 2025. Between 1830 and 1912, at least 390 passengers departing from Jelsi 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- Jelsi580m1,178
Nuclei abitati
AltitudePopulation- Pagliaio di Facco638m39
- Piane569m9
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 44% since 1861. Recorded US arrivals from Jelsi between 1830 and 1912 equal 25% of its current population, peaking in 1902. Since 2001, net international immigration has added the equivalent of 19% of the current population.
Total US arrivals
390
1830–1912
Peak year
1902
77 arrivals
Cittadinanza per discendenza
Could a line from Jelsi qualify for Italian citizenship?
Between 1830 and 1912, at least 390 passengers from Jelsi 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.
Check your lineItalian-born ancestor
Your ancestor from Jelsi
Born in Jelsi (CB), Italy
Each generation between
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Top Emigrant Cognomi
Most common cognomi (family names) among emigrants from Jelsi recorded in US arrivals, 1830 to 1912.
- 1.Damico17
- 2.Santella17
- 3.Cutrone14
- 4.Vena13
- 5.Padulo12
- 6.Passarelli11
- 7.Martino9
- 8.Testa9
- 9.Maiorano8
- 10.Martinelli8
Notable People
People born in Jelsi.