What is Southern Italy DNA Ethnicity on Ancestry?

The results of our AncestryDNA tests may sometimes be what we expect or on occasion may be a big surprise. Either way, often we need a little more information regarding some of the regions that arise in our ethnicity estimates.

One region that is not at all uncommon is the Southern Italy DNA region. Those who still live in this region already understand all about its history and culture. There are others, however, who may never have even visited or in fact been aware that they have ancestors from that area.

In this post we will go into more detail with regards to the history, geography and culture of the Southern Italy region. We will also discuss what it means to be from this region and how easy or difficult it might be to trace our roots in the Southern Italy Region.

What Is the Southern Italy DNA Region?

The Southern Italy DNA region as the name suggests focuses around the southern half of Italy and the Island of Sicily. It also includes the smallest country in the world San Marino, which is located within Italy itself in the northernmost part of this DNA region.

Southern Italy DNA Region Subregions

The Southern Italy DNA region has no fewer than 6 subregions of its own, each of which has multiple additional communities within them. This is beneficial for researchers looking to discover where in Southern Italy their ancestors may have come from. This is because it may indicate more precisely which region of Southern Italy your most recent ancestors may have come from.

Apulia Region

The Apulia subregion is located in the southeastern section of the Southern Italy region. It sits just above what may be described as the heel of Italy in that the country resembles a boot. It has three additional subregions of its own which are:

• Foggia & North Bari Provinces
• South Bari Province
• West Bari Province

Calabria

The Calabrai subregion is located in the southwestern region of Southern Italy. It covers the region which may be described as the toe of Italy’s boot. This region itself is broken up into 8 different smaller community subregions which are:

• Catanzaro & South Cosenza Provinces
• Cosenza
• Crotone Province
• East Reggio Calabria Province
• North Cosenza Province
• Reggio Calabria Province
• South Calabria Region
• Vibo Valentia & Southwest Catanzaro Provinces

Central Eastern Italy

The Central Eastern Italy subregion covers the central eastern coast of Southern Italy ranging from San Marino in the north to Sessa Aurunca in the South. This region has no fewer than 19 additional subregions which are:

• Campobasso & East Isernia Provinces
• Chieti & South Pescara Provinces
• East Frosinone & West Isernia Provinces
• Eastern Central Italy
• Frosinone Province
• Isernia & West Campobasso Provinces
• L'Aquila Province
• Marche Region
• North Isernia Province
• North Teramo, Pescara & L'Aquila Provinces
• Northeast Frosinone Province
• Northeast Isernia Province
• Northwest Caserta Province
• Northwest Isernia Province
• South Isernia & West Campobasso Provinces
• South Latina Province
• Southeast Chieti Province
• Southeast Lazio Region
• Southwest Chieti Province

Central Southwest Italy

The Central Southwest Italy subregion as the name would suggest focuses on a region in the central southwest of Southern Italy. It ranges from Sessa Aurunca in the north of the region to Pollino National Park in the South. This region is home to 22 different communities within the wider Southern Italy DNA region. These are:

• Avellino
• Avellino & Southwest Foggia Provinces
• Basilicata & South Campania Region
• Caserta Province
• East Avellino & Foggia Provinces
• East Avellino Province
• East Cilento
• East Naples & West Avellino Provinces
• North Campania Region
• North Caserta & Northwest Benevento Provinces
• North Potenza Province
• Northeast Avellino Province
• Northeast Benevento & Southwest Foggia Provinces
• South Benevento & North Avellino Provinces
• South Naples & West Salerno Provinces
• South Potenza Province
• South Salerno Province
• Southeast Avellino & Southwest Foggia Provinces
• Southeast Potenza & West Matera Provinces
• West Cilento
• West Potenza Province
• Western Naples Islands

Northern Sicily

The Northern Sicily region as the name suggests covers the northern part of the island of Sicily and the smaller inhabited islands to the north. Although a limited area this region is home to a further 20 subregions which are:

• Aeolian Islands
• Caltanissetta Province
• Central Messina Province
• Cerda
• East Messina Province
• East Palermo Province
• East Trapani Province
• North Agrigento & West Caltanissetta Provinces
• Northeast Central Sicily Region
• Northwest Agrigento & South Palermo Provinces
• Palermo
• Palermo & Northern Sicilian Islands
• South Bagheria
• South Cefalú
• Southeast Trapani Province
• Termini Imerese
• Trapani Province
• West Messina & North Enna Provinces
• West Palermo Province
• West Sicily Region

Southeastern Sicily

The Southeastern Sicily region is located in southeastern Sicily ranging from Messina in the north, Agrigento in the southwest and Ragusa in the southeast. It is a much smaller region than Northern Sicily and only has three subregions which are:

• Agrigento Province
• Catania Province
• Southeast Sicily Region

Southern Italy Region History

Italy Prehistory

Excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Middle Paleolithic period which was some 200,000 years ago. Modern humans however appeared about 40,000 years ago in Northern Italy.

The early peoples of Northern Italy include the Ligures and Veneti who prospered in the region through the trade in amber and breeding horses. Another group, the Etruscans who resided in northern Italy since the early Iron Age would eventually found the city of Bologna. These peoples over time would migrate into Southern Italy.

Greeks

Around the 8^th and 7^th centuries BC Greeks began to arrive in Southern Italy driven from their homelands due to famine, overcrowding and expulsion. Settlements developed in Sicily and the southernmost regions of Italy.

These Greek settlers found three major populations inhabiting the regions; these were the Ausones, Oenotrians and Iapyges. Relations between the settlers and the indigenous peoples were initially hostile but the Hellenic influence of the Greeks soon shaped their culture.

The Greek presence and influence was such that these southern regions were known by the Romans as Magna Graecia ("Great Greece"). Over time the Greeks and the Latin civilizations of the region began to meld more into one.

Romans

With the expansion of Rome in the form of a growing Roman empire much of Southern Italy fell under their influence from 282 BC until the fall of the empire in the 3^rd century AD.

Barbarians

The first wave of barbarian invasions, between AD 300 and 500, according to Greek and Latin historians put Germanic peoples in control of most areas of what was then the Western Roman Empire.

Following a clash with the Huns the Tervingi crossed the Danube into Roman territory in 376. Some time later in the Tervingi or a fusion of mainly Gothic groups, eventually invaded Italy, sacking Rome in 410 before settling in Gaul. Around 460, they founded the Visigothic Kingdom in Iberia.

They were followed into Roman territory initially by a confederation of Herulian, Rugian, and Scirian warriors who under Odoacer, deposed Romulus Augustulus in 476. Some time later the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, would follow and settle in Italy.

How Did You Get Southern Italy Region DNA?

If you already know that you had family who came from Southern Italy or any of the bordering states then you know why you have Southern Italy region DNA. If this result came as a surprise you may not know how exactly you came by DNA from this region.

If you have a sizable percentage of DNA from this region then it is likely you have an ancestor who was born in or close to the country of Southern Italy.

Is the Result Accurate?

When it comes to ethnicity estimates the higher the percentage you have from a certain region the more likely it is to be accurate. If your percentage is low, however, then it is harder to pinpoint exactly where your most recent ancestors came from.

A low result could mean a distant ancestor from that region. It is best to focus on your highest rated region's matches to determine where your ancestors came from more recently. A low percentage can often be hard to locate because the ancestor in question could be many generations back in your tree.

How to Research my Ancestry from These Regions

The results of a DNA ethnicity test are of course a great place to start especially if there is an unexpected result found in the report. As always of course the DNA cannot tell the whole story and we need to actually do the research work.

A percentage on an ethnicity estimate means very little unless you follow through and start building up your family tree. The relevant ancestors may be several generations back and it may take a lot of research to discover who they were.

If you have specific regions mentioned in your report then you have a good idea of where your ancestor may have originated from. Ancestry DNA even has migratory information from some of these regions through to the final settlement places in the United States or elsewhere in the world.

Using Ancestry you may be able to determine not only who your ancestors were but where they are from in the region and perhaps the reason they decided to move.

Italian Migration

Notably it was an Italian Christopher Columbus who was among the first Europeans to arrive in the Americas but as he was sailing under the flag of Spain it would be the Spanish who began early colonization.

Italian migration to the new world really started between 1776 – 1860 and at first was very gradual. There were around 7,000 Italians who served during the American Civil war mostly on the side of the Union but the true bulk of migration started around 1880. In less than a quarter of a century from 1880 – 1914, 13 million Italians left Italy 4 million of which came to the United States.

Final Thoughts

Southern Italy shared commonality with the north when it came to more distant ancestors but while in the north Celts would take control southern influences would come from Greece. The combination of the indigenous peoples and these Greeks would plant the seeds for what would become the vast Roman empire.

After centuries of Roman influence Barbarians from further north in Europe would take control in the region adding their own unique DNA to the mix helping forge the common DNA found in Southern Italy and Sicily to this day.

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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