One hundred and seventy of the two hundred and thirty Jews living in Alessandria in 1684 are members of the Vitale family.

The first known Jew in Alessandria, named Abraham (son of Joseph Vitale de Sacerdoti Cohen) had opened a loan bank in or about 1490.

When in 1590, the Jews were expelled from the Duchy of Milan, one of Abraham's descendants had traveled to Madrid, which ruled the Duchy, and  gained permitted to stay in the town due to a large sum owed him by the government.