Founded under the name of “Ufficio Araldico Italiano” by the Count Guelfo Guelfi Camajani in 1877 with the intention of stimulating and developing the study of Italian heraldry, it started its activity with the publication of the “Bollettino Araldico” which went on appearing for many years. Some of the works edited during that period were the series of monographs “Le famiglie Illustri e Titolate d’Italia” (1902-1907), and the “Libro d’Oro della Toscana” (1908-1914). Of fundamental importance was the “Dizionario Araldico” of which the Editor Hoepli of Milan got two editions printed in 1897 and 1921. In 1927 the management of the “Ufficio Araldico” was taken over by the Count Piero Guelfi Camajani, son of the Founder, who brought it to a new and more modern impulde. The name was changed to that of “Istituto Genealogico Italiano” ti signify that its activity was directed particularly to the study of the genealogy of Families. The means of research were improved by filing name by name hundreds of works covering History, Genealogies, Biographies, Chronicles, Heraldry and Burial records, a work that is still being carried on. The Library of the Institute was amplified and increased, is continually supplied with new acquisitions. It now posesses over five thousand chosen works.

In 1952 the management of the Institutewas passed on to the Count Guelfo Guelfi Camajani, grandson ofthe Founder, who now carries on the activity begun a hundredyears earlier.
In 1983 the Count Luigi Guelfi Camajaniundertook the management of the Institute for the premature deathof his brother Count Guelfo with whom he had co-operated forthe previous thirty years.

The expansion of the bibliographicand archival work is constantly progressing and particularlycared for has been the attendance to the Congresses of Stockolm,the Hague, Bern,Liegi, Vienna, Munich, Madrid andwith the publication of new works. The improvement achieved thesehundred years by the scientific and bibliographic equipment andthe constant desire of maintaining the name to standard of itstradition make of this Institute a Body of the highest professionalqualification at the disposal of anyonewishing to take advantage of its services.