Researching my husband's ancestry has been tough. The initial stumbling block was a lack of interest by any other member of the family. I interviewed both of my sisters-in-law and both were 100% certain that their grandfather was Generino Nardozzi so I had a starting point.
I entered what they had given me and since it wasn't my line I just let it sit for a long time. My sister-in-law found her copy of Fedele - Capadano - Nardozzi, As prepared by Phylis Fedele Fiorica (1991, Privately Published) and it confirmed what they had told me. I did a lot more data entry, found some census records but struck out at the Ellis Island site. Both the 1930 census and the SSDI gave his name as
Gennaro Nardozzi.
Then one of the Uncles mentioned that the name had originally been Nardozz
a. He said that the named was changed during "the war" so it wouldn't appear that the family was from the wrong part of Italy. I searched for Gennaro Nardozza and found - too many! Based on Mrs. Fiorica's work he must have arrived 1906 or earlier which left three possible entries. Of the three, one was joining his Uncle - Leonardo Capadano (his mother's brother). I have now found most of the US records for this branch of the family.
I know that the family came from Rionero in Vulture, Province of Potenza, Basilicata Region, Italy. I don't speak or read Italian and really have no idea where to go from here so it will probably sit on the shelf until I find some motivation to dig deeper. I certainly have enough other projects to keep me busy for years!