Italian Naming Customs?

Are you looking for an Italian surname? Do you need more information about your family heritage?
This is the right place to start your genealogy search.
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

I'm trying to locate the birth certificate of my GGF Pasquale D'Errico and have been running into trouble. I can find information on his father (Michele Vincenzo D'Errico), grandfather (Michele Arcangelo D'Errico), and next eldest brother (Michele Arcangelo D'Errico), but not him. Even though on his social security application he lists clearly who his family is and is listed as such on every other document I have.

Basically, my question is on Italian naming customs and shame. There is some rumour in the family that the birth of my GGF in some way was scandalous for the family. I don't know if that is because he isn't the son of his supposed parents, or if he was born/conceived out of wedlock. Everything in my family heritage seems to indicate my D'Errico family members kept with traditional Italian naming customs (1st son after father's father, etc...). So, If the "2nd" son was actually named after the father's father (Michele Arcangelo) where did Pasquale come from? Would a child born/conceived out of wedlock still keep naming customs? Would this bring shame on the person they were being named after (assuming everyone knew about the scandal and why they couldn't keep it quiet)?

I'm just trying to see what avenues to pursue because I'm at a loss in locating my GGF's birth certificate and am worried he may be a different name or something crazy like that.
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
jamiecapaldi
Master
Master
Posts: 691
Joined: 21 Sep 2009, 18:18
Location: Bristol, England, UK

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by jamiecapaldi »

Hello Eric,

Did Paquale marry a Raffaela? Was his Mother called Luisa? Was he born in Italy, Ireland or USA?
If you could provide some more details, we can try to help.

I have found it very common for Italians to use their middle names in records.
My great Grand Auntie Michelina used her middle name Angela when she married in Dublin, and her cousin Pasquale used his middle name Michele in all his Military records in Detroit, etc!

Jamie
NAMES: Capaldi-Tedesco-Tamilio-Minchella-Verrecchia-Tomasso-Franchitto-Innelli-Arpino-Caringi-Colacicco-Macari-Pinchera-Salera-D'Orazio-Ambrosino-Di Mambro-Sigliocolo-Masello
PLACES: Cassino- UK, USA, Ireland, Canada & Australia
http://www.cassino-families.co.uk
User avatar
Italysearcher
Master
Master
Posts: 3411
Joined: 06 Jan 2008, 19:58
Location: Sora, Italy
Contact:

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by Italysearcher »

In order to keep track of families with same surnames/first names that were repeated every generation some people had an 'administrative' name which was sometimes NOT the one they were known by in the family. Note the example above with Michele in every generation. This would be probably how they were baptised but civilly could be another story. Maybe he was Michele Pasquale?
Ann Tatangelo
http://angelresearch.net
Dual citizenship assistance, and document acquisition, on-site genealogical research in Lazio, Molise, Latina and Cosenza. Land record searches and succession.
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

Re: jamiecapaldi, Pasquale D'Errico married Agnes Elizabeth Bellotti in New Jersey, USA, June 1912. I don't know if he had a middle/first name other than Pasquale. I've looked at censuses and military records and nothing indicates anything other than Pasquale, though in one early American document he anglicized his name as Peter, my guess being he incorrectly interpreted the translation of his name at the time.

Michele Vincenzo was married to an Antonia Maria D'Avolio. Her father was named Giuseppe, and in line with Italian naming custom the son born after Michele Arcangelo was named Joseph after his mother's father.

Re: Italysearcher, it may be he was a Michele Pasquale, but it will take some research. I'll see what I can find.
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Perhaps these questions are answered elsewhere, but:

a) are we talking about missing Italian records? If so, what comune?

b) what methods have you used to search these records? If you are looking through Family History Center microfilms, for example, are you scanning only the annual indexes or are you going through the atti page-by-page, record-by-record? Many of us have found at least one ancestor who appears in the atti but is not listed in the associated index.
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

johnnyonthespot,

a)According to his WW2 draft record my GGF was from Carpino. His Social Security Application lists Rodi Garganico. I've written to both comunes. Rodi got back with me but said nothing was found. Carpino never responded, so I request the microfilms.

b)Cecause I'm at the moment a bit far from a Family Research Center I requested my mother to do me a favor and look for it at the one closer to her. She printed out EVERY record from Carpino during the years 1885-1895 where the person had the surname D'Errico/Errico. There doesn't seem to be a Pasquale D'Errico for what dates are supposed to be when he was born (16 June 1891). I may not be reading the records right and have thought of posting a few online for help (they were printed out rather darkly). Though nothing on them seems anything close to a Pasquale D'Errico around the dates I'm looking for.

I have thought of looking at the microfilms myself from Rodi, and eve Foggia City. I also wrote to the military records at Stato di Foggia but no luck. Don't know what is going on.
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Looking at the WWII card, it seems to quite clearly say "Cappino", not Carpino. Granted, there does not seem to be a place named Cappino in modern Italy...

However I am bothered by the great discrepancy between Cappino/Carpino and Rodi Garganico. Are you certain this is the correct draft card? Certain about the SS application?

Image
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

Both documents are correct, at least in whom they reference. That WW2 draft card is definitely him and the one I've been looking at. The SS App is definitely him as well as I even have his SS card in my files for verification.

With regard to spelling of Carpino, my only guess is he didn't know much about the village of his birth other than hearsay. He immigrated as a teenager from Rodi Garganico. Incidentally, on his SS app he also spelled Rodi wrong and wrote Rodi Gargano, though it may be an archaic spelling. His brother's WW2 card (Michele Arcangelo D'Errico) born May 1892, shows birthplace as Rodi instead of Carpino, and was born only 1 year apart. So if my GGF was born in Carpino but grew up in Rodi it could explain his lack of knowledge of its spelling and also why he listed 2 different towns. Carpino and Rodi are close to each other geographically as well.

One other thing I didn't mention which may or may not be a lead. On the back of his naturalisation record is 1 line that reads: "Name changed by decree of the Court from Pasquale Svelto as a part of the Naturalization." Svelto doesn't seem to be a common name and given his immigration record listed him as Pasquale D'Errico as well as all other documents I'm not sure what this is referring to. I even thought he may have been up to no good using a fake ID, as that side of the family has known for being a bit mischievous.

Thanks for all the help!
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

World War I draft card? Does that say Carpino Garganico?

See this wikipedia entry on Gargano, a sub-region of Puglia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargano

This lends credence to Carpino, Foggia being the correct place of birth.

Image
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

Thanks for that find! Can you make out what line 6 reads?

Carpino Garganico is what it definitely says. Gargano and Garganico seem easy to intermix to me, so I'm not too worried about the spelling.

I've been going about getting the exact same records for his next youngest brother Michele Arcangelo D'Errico under the assumption Michael is the 'legitimate' son at the very least. Is his WW1 draft registration traceable? Not actually sure when Michael immigrated though as Pasquale was the first of the immediate family.
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Regarding reading the birth acts that were scanned for you, keep in mind that they would have been entered into the book as the births occurred (well, with small variations...) so they will be in date order.

Begin by looking at the very first line of each record for something like the following:
L'anno milleottocentonovantuno, addì venti di giugno...

The year 1891, the day 20 of June...

-or-

L'anno milleottocentonovantuno, addì dicianove di giugno...

The year 1891, the day 19 of June...

Births were commonly recorded the day after the fact, sometimes the same day.
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

ericderrico wrote:Thanks for that find! Can you make out what line 6 reads?
The text is "If not a citizen, of what country are you a citizen or subject of:"

The last word is certainly Italy. Of the other two, is one of them Alien?

The card is indexed at ancestry . com under "Patrick Derico", by the way.

I will poke around for Michele's card. Was he also in the New Jersey area?
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
ericderrico
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 82
Joined: 09 Jul 2010, 23:06
Location: United States

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by ericderrico »

I got the same from line 6. I could read Alien and Italy, but not the middle word. Michele was in New Jersey. On his WW2 card he lived on the same street and worked at the same factory as my GGF.

The database only had 3 births recorded in 1891 in Carpino for D'Errico/Errico. This is the only record I found that has the name Pasquale written anywhere on it. The dates don't seem to correspond.Image
Researching surnames: D'Errico, Bellotti (and other spellings), D'Avolio, Calvano, Marano
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Michael's WWI draft card:

Image
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
User avatar
johnnyonthespot
Master
Master
Posts: 5229
Joined: 04 Aug 2008, 15:01
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Italian Naming Customs?

Post by johnnyonthespot »

ericderrico wrote:The database only had 3 births recorded in 1891 in Carpino for D'Errico/Errico. This is the only record I found that has the name Pasquale written anywhere on it. The dates don't seem to correspond.Image
Larger copy, if possible?

The name in the left margin is the full name of the child. D'Errico, Maria-something?
Carmine

My hobby is finding things. Having found most of my own, I am happy to help others find theirs. PM me! :)
Post Reply