Do Italians Like Americans Coming To Italy To Find Cousins?

You’re all fired up for your Italy ancestry trip, right?

But then a thought pops into your head. 

Do Italians like Americans from the United States coming to explore their roots and look for cousins?

The short answer is yes, but hey, have you ever heard Italians give a short answer? 

Let me give you some tips on how to be liked by Italians on your ancestry journey, not be an idiot, and how to become more Italian.

Let’s dive in.

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Don’t Say That You Are Italian-American

Calling yourself an Italian-American because you have Italian ancestry from 100 years ago might be a thing for you, but it’s not a thing in Italy.

In Italy you are just an American. You might have an Italian last name. But you are not Italian. Unfortunately, Italian-American means nothing in Italy.

What Is An Italian-American

This is a complex subject but basically Italian-Americans are descendants of people who emigrated from Southern Italy and Sicily from 1880-1914. For a great overview, watch the PBS documentary series The Italian Americans.

These people usually left in groups. Sometimes the whole town left. And they stayed in groups when they settled in New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Some family groups also moved to Chicago.

The people that left were poor farm workers escaping harsh conditions in a semi-feudal society in the old country looking for a new life. These immigrants did not speak Italian and could not read or write when they arrived on Ellis Island. They spoke their local dialect from their village.

Their children born in America spoke a mixture of the local dialects and English. Eventually an Italian-American lingo developed. This lingo is part of the Italian-American identity. 

Don’t use this lingo in Italy. No one will understand you. Instead learn some Italian!

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Italian And Italian-American Values

Italian-Americans share similar values with actual Italians. They both value family, food, respect for elders, traditions, and a connection to the Catholic church.

So why don’t Italians feel a connection with Italian-Americans?

• Italians feel that Italian-American values represent a sub-strata of southern Italian culture from 100 years ago that hasn’t evolved.
  
• Italian-Americans think they know some Italian, but Italians don’t understand these words: gabagool, stunda, manigot, mopina, bacouse and “Make it with mootsarell an’ a little reegot.”
  
• Italian-American cooking has changed so much it is hardly Italian, even if it’s tasty. For example, fettuccine alfredo does not exist in Italy. Don’t order this dish in Italy please.
  
• Italians base a lot of their thinking about Italian-Americans on the movies about loud, rude, mafioso characters.
  
• Some Italian-Americans really get into this stereotype and it becomes their whole personality. 
• They truly think they are Italian even though they don’t know where their family came from in Italy and they don’t speak or even want to learn Italian.
• There is still a lot of parochialism, or localism, in Italy so that anyone from someplace else is not good enough for them. Even the next town over.
• There is an even bigger cultural divide between Northern and Southern Italians with many Northern Italians being racist against Southern Italians. 

If you are an Italian-American and proud of your identity, that is great. Just don’t expect Italians to think of you as Italian. And do research to learn exactly where your ancestors came from. 

If you want Italians to be interested in your ancestry story, you have to actually know where your ancestors came from. And learn some Italian!

💚🤍❤️ Learn Italian by watching movies! (and my favorite language learning app!) Get Lingopie!

Are Descendants Of Northern Italians Italian-Americans?

Descendants of Northern Italians can call themselves Italian-Americans, but the stereotype refers to the culture that has evolved from the Southern Italian immigrants.

However, North Beach in San Francisco was home to many Italian immigrants from Northern Italy, especially Genoa. And there was definitely an Italian-American culture in North Beach for years. Many of the wineries in Napa Valley were started by Northern Italian immigrants.

I am a descendant of immigrants from Northern Italy and I do not identify at all as an Italian-American. I have an Italian last name and I speak Italian because I love the language and was determined to learn Italian, but I am not culturally Italian. 

Growing up, however, I wished I was Italian-American. I was jealous of the kids in my class from big Italian families. I envied their Sunday dinners after church and how they did everything in groups.

I think that my immigrant ancestors did not travel  in groups, but probably came alone or with one other person. Like the Southern Italians, they settled in Brooklyn and later New Jersey but they probably felt very different from the Southern Italian immigrants in that area.

What Is An Italian?

Legally, an Italian is a person who has Italian citizenship. This means they might or might not be ethnically Italian. 

Ethnicity is a belief that people belong to a certain group because they speak the same language and share the same culture, traditions, history, geography and maybe religion.

Many people with Italian ancestry (including actual Italians) are surprised when they do a DNA test. They discover they are not very Italian after all. That is because ethnicity and race are social constructs and don’t show up in DNA.

There have been centuries of migrations into and through what is now Italy. All of this mixing of people like Celts, Romans, Spanish, Arabs, and Pre-Germanic tribes have created the genetic and cultural mix of what are now Italians.

And immigration is continually adding to this mix. Thousands of immigrants arrive every year by sea from places like Bangladesh, Syria, Tunisia, and the Ivory Coast. 

These people give birth to children in Italy who can become Italian citizens when they turn 18. If they become citizens, then their children will be Italian.

You don’t have to be born in Italy to be Italian. If at least one of your parents is an Italian citizen, then you are automatically Italian whether you are ethnically Italian or not.

So Do Italians Like Americans Searching For Their Roots?

The Italian government seems to think so. They declared 2024 the “Year of Roots Tourism”. They created an organization called Italea to help descendants with genealogy and to walk in the footsteps of their ancestors.

I asked this question to a representative of Italea in Lombardy. He told me that almost everyone in Lombardy had family members that left in the late 19th century and early 20th century during the big Italian diaspora and so, yes, they are interested to know what happened to their family members that left. 

He also told me that many of the little towns in the province of Bergamo are working together to create interesting experiences for people connecting with their roots. 

I asked a similar question on a poll in the Italian Roots Facebook Group (now updated to Northern Italy Travel Tips) and an Italian woman in our community answered:

“I’ve never experienced it, but I would be thrilled to meet some American relatives. I believe most Italian people like it!”

That’s exciting! I used to think that most Italians don’t really think about ancestry that much. And that wondering where your ancestors came from is mostly an American thing. But, with all the migrations in Italy, Italians are also curious about their family history.

How To Become More Italian

Learn To Speak Italian

Start by learning the language. Italian is an easy language to learn to pronounce. You can get started right away with a 7-day free trial from Lingopie. 

Lingopie will help you with listening, speaking, reading and instant grammar tips.

Language learning takes interest, motivation, and access. Lingopie helps you stay interested and motivated by having fun, and it is available 24/7!

As you can tell, I love Lingopie, especially the Italian cooking shows.

Practice Cooking Italian Recipes

This is a no brainer and 100% enjoyable way to become more Italian. Remember no fettuccine alfredo, chicken parmesan, or spaghetti with meatballs. 

Meatballs yes, but as a second course, not on top of spaghetti.
For some truly Italian recipes, check out the dishes we made during our Italian cooking class in Florence.

Become More Stylish

Americans and Italian-Americans dress more for practicality and comfort. But Italians dress for style. 

If you want to be more Italian, you have to up your game in the fashion department. The easiest way to do this is with accessories. Add a belt or scarf to take things up a notch. 

Don’t forget chic sunglasses, a leather purse or backpack, a blazer, a simple and elegant watch, and of course the shoes. They can be sneakers, but they have to be in good condition and not running shoes. Think Superga.

Understand Modern Italian Culture

As Americans with Italian ancestry who love Italy, we tend to romanticize Italy a bit too much. I know I definitely have. Especially when I was a student in Italy. 

I was in awe of the amazing history, architecture, and art. People my age were so educated and of course stylish.

But in reality, Italy is a modern nation with modern day problems. Young people can’t find jobs and feel oppressed by family and history. They are still emigrating as fast as they can.

Italians are known for being warm, friendly and inviting, but don’t expect open arms and everyone letting you in. This can happen, but don’t despair if it doesn’t.

Get Italian Citizenship

Getting Italian citizenship would be an amazing way to become more Italian. Especially right now as more Americans are trying to figure out how to move out of our country. 

Italy allows descendants to become Italian citizens through jure sanguinis, or bloodline. You just need to prove that there is an unbroken line from you to your ancestor born in Italy. 

Unbroken means that nobody became naturalized and renounced their Italian citizenship before you were born. For years, there was no backward limit as to the number of generations to your ancestor born in Italy. 

Unfortunately, Italy modified this law on March 28, 2025  and now you can only get Italian citizenship by descent through a parent or grandparent.

If you are now disqualified, then your next best option is to marry an Italian and register the marriage in Italy.

That’s Amore

Italians do like Americans coming to immerse themselves in their ancestors’ land and you don’t need Italian citizenship to love Italy and to be proud of your heritage.

My love for Italy began in Sorrento the first time I heard the Italian language. All the yelling and gesticulating, I was immediately hooked.

I vowed I would start studying Italian when I started college in a few months, and I did. I have never stopped learning and practicing Italian. It’s a lifetime interest of mine that still fulfills me.

If you are interested in learning more about your Italian ancestry and becoming more Italian, start by learning the language. 

Get Lingopie and start watching movies and short episodes in Italian. This is a fun and enjoyable way to start learning Italian and my favorite way to keep it up.

Connect with others on the same journey today!

👉 Click here to join the Northern Italy Travel Tips Facebook group and share your passion for Northern Italy trip planning including Italian heritage, ideas for ancestry tours Italy, and excitement for travel to small ancestral towns in Italy with a community that gets it.

Read More Of My Ancestry Trip Planning Tips and Stories:

• How To Plan The Best Heritage Trip To Italy In 9 Easy Steps
• Overcoming Fear Of Driving A Rental Car In Italy
• Is Hiring A Genealogist Worth It In Italy?
• Finding Angela – My Italian Genealogy Research Reveals An Amazing Discovery
• How To Start Finding Your Italian Roots From Home
• How To Use Portale Antenati To Find Your Missing Family Member
• Search For Giuseppe – My Lifelong Quest To Find The Italian Birthplace of My Great-Grandfather

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