FORTUNE- Italian surname???

[EmmaG]

Hello everyone,

My gr grandfather, Silvestro Valente came to Ireland from Villa Latina. I was really stuck on finding out any information on his family until recently when I found out his parents names in an identity booklet- Domenico Antonio Valente and NIMPIA FORTUNE. I am intrigued by his mother's name. According to the book they were both Italian but I've tried to find the origin of her first name and surname with no success. Does it even sound like an Italian name?
Any advice appreciated.

Thanks, Emma.

[PeterTimber]

I suspect that her surname might be FORTUNA and her first name OLIMPIA but it is only a hunch which only research can ascertain. I assume they arrived married which would indicate they married in Villa Latina unless you know something that I don't know?

In any event you can easily obtain birth,marrikage and death recofrds free of charge in Italy BUT most records are in the city, town or village of origin with duplicates at the provincial level but primarily in the place of Origin.

www.paginebianche.it (telephone directory for Villa Latina) put FORTUNA on the left side and Villa Latina on the right side and click CERCA in red and you will see there are 11 FORTUNA currently in residence in Villa latina. =Peter=

[johnnyonthespot]

There are several Italian surnames with "fortun" as the root including Fortuni and Fortuna. See http://www.cognomiitaliani.org/cognomi/ ... 0006or.htm

The current Italian telephone directory lists just two Fortune's, one in Milano (Milan) and one in Firenze (Florence).

Nimpia must be an incredibly rare name as well.

What time period and what part of Italy are we talking about?

[PeterTimber]

VILLA LATINA- www.tuttitalia.it/lazio/78-villa-latina is the town website for town information while the www to the right covers the tourist part. Thought you would like to know from where and what your talking about. =Peter=

[Joannsalvo]

I have heard of:

Ninfa: Derived from Greek, latinized as "Nympha"; wife.

[PeterTimber]

That is also a possibility which should be no problem since her records in Villa latina will be in her maiden name and approximate year of birth or a marriage certificate etc etc etc.

By the way there are 11 persons sujrnamed FORTUNA in Villa Latina whic is a good indication this is her place of origin as well. =Peter=

[EmmaG]

Thank you for your help. I was starting to presume that her surname was Fortuna rather than Fortune. I have double checked the booklet and it definitely says Fortune but I don't think it was my gr grandfather that filled out that section but a member of the Northern Irish Police. It could have been the wrong spelling.

The time would probably have been around the 1860s or 1870s. My gr grandfasther was born, according to both the book and his passport in Villa Latina in 1868. I will look at those websites and see what I can come up with.

Thanks again, Emma.

[PeterTimber]

Thats all you need is a name and date or year or approximate year of birth (decade is acceptable 5 year spread desired) for bith,marriage or death.

The current population for Villa latina is about 1,200 souls. =Pete=