“Italians from Northern Italy (Milan) are typically fair skinned and quite frequently have blue eyes.”
My grandfather was from a little town in central Italy called Luca. My Mom does have blue eyes, as you suggest!
I’ve never been to Lucca (although I’ve visited areas to its north and east), but my parents showed me pictures and it is a beautiful town (and region).
As for why Northern Italians frequently having blond hair and blue eyes, while Southern Italians are darker, Dennis Hopper’s character in “True Romance” had an explanation for the phenomenom . . . .
Even in Southern Italy, a significant minority (maybe 15% - 20%) have “light” eyes, gray, green, or blue. My grandfather was from Neapolitan stock and had grayish-hazel eyes, and was blonde as a child. And my great-great grandmother, born in either Bari or Calabria (records are fuzzy), was a redhead.
Haven't voted yet, might before the end of the week. Husband won't early vote, I guess he likes standing in line.