Esposito - The abandoned child

[JamesBianco]

Has anyone ever noticed that whenever you see this surname (Esposito) listed it is always a dead end? It always ends (from my experience) in an abandoned child. I do not know of a single ancestrial line which contains the surname Esposito for more than two generations before hitting this brick wall.

I see it appear in the Province of Belluno (way North). I see it in the provinces of Isernia, Napoli, Catanzaro, Reggio di Calabria and also Palermo. Whenever the surname appears, it always ends abruptly and neither church nor civil records shed light on the origins of the child.

[BethW]

Hi James,

There's a reference on about.com to the surname "Esposito." It says that the name comes from the latin word for "placed outside" and was used to denote an orphan because abandoned children were left on church steps.

By the way did you ever have any luck getting access to Agnone church records from here? They're my next step and it doesn't look like I'll be getting to Italy any time in the near future.

Beth

[JamesBianco]

Hi James,

There's a reference on about.com to the surname "Esposito." It says that the name comes from the latin word for "placed outside" and was used to denote an orphan because abandoned children were left on church steps.

By the way did you ever have any luck getting access to Agnone church records from here? They're my next step and it doesn't look like I'll be getting to Italy any time in the near future.

Beth

Thanks beth for that info on Esposito. It makes sense.

As far as Agnone, no (sadly) I do not have access to the church records. I so wish I did.

[nuccia]

I just wanted to confirm that Esposito was a surname given to abandoned children. It actually means exposed I think. Unfortunately I have a few on my side. Salvati is another surname common in my family and is also one given to orphaned or abandoned infants.

Here are a few others..

Orfanelli - little orphans
Poverelli - little poor (people)
Peverelli - slightly disguised version of the above
Trovato, Trovatelli - found, little foundling

[findtheForesi]

Hi James!
I can relate! I am sure you've been looking for quite some time also!

For the folklore of being exposed or left on the church door steps a number of their offspring did share some talents!! http://www.the.esposito.net/
Someone can delete the link if it is not supposed to be here!

Best Regards
Rich

[JohnArmellino]

The surnames assigned to proietti [foundlings] varied from town to town. Some towns used surnames such as Proietto or Trovato [foundling], Esposito [of this place], and D'Ignoti [of unknown], which surnames reflected the status of the child. Some surnames were tongue-in-cheek, e.g., d'Amore or d'Innocenzio. [In 1928 these methods were outlawed as being detrimental to the foundlings so named.] Other towns used the surnames of noted men or of families that had died out. During the early part of the 19th century, my ancestral town of Campobasso often used the surnames Esposito and Fortunato. However, by the middle of that century they predominantly used variations of common surnames, e.g., Angellillo becomes Angellini. The nicest assigned surnames I have run across (IMHO) are Cuorgiusto [true heart] and Fiorebello [beautiful flower].

[findtheForesi]

Thank You John for the Great Learnings and Insite!

What fun to see this! Wish I knew more Italian than Spanish!
At least when we get blocked we get to reconsider, accept the lessons and-or try another path!
Maybe think about balance in our own lives and be sure to spend time with those you care about Now!

One of my goals is to discover and learn what I can on the search.
The stories and life examples are powerful enough to motivate my family, others, including myself to reconsider a change or stay on a path.

Enjoy your weekend!
Rich

[sheronb]

I have a ancester who married a "Custode" another abandened baby name.

[Cathynap]

This is really interesting. There are Esposito's in the town I am researching. Does that mean that they were abandoned? I noticed many foundlings in my villiage were given names of people in the comune. The birth records in these cases were signed by someone with the same surname. Some of these babies were given the surname of the livatrice (midwife).
Thanks.

[JamesBianco]

This is really interesting. There are Esposito's in the town I am researching. Does that mean that they were abandoned?

While it does not mean they necessarily were abandoned, it indicates in the direct paternal line someone was.

Oh and I love your website, great job!!

Jim

[Cathynap]

This is really interesting. There are Esposito's in the town I am researching. Does that mean that they were abandoned?

While it does not mean they necessarily were abandoned, it indicates in the direct paternal line someone was.

Oh and I love your website, great job!!

Jim

Thanks Jim. I just started the website so it's not very good yet. I can only dream about the website being even close to yours - but I sure will try.

[JamesBianco]

Thanks Jim. I just started the website so it's not very good yet. I can only dream about the website being even close to yours - but I sure will try.

I think it is wonderful, you are too modest!

[misbris]

Just got Trafford Cole's wonderful book,Italian Genealogical Records and this is what he says about Esposito.

"Esposito ....as a name derives from the practice among orphanages of displaying the orphans to visitors so that the orphans could be taken into homes as servants. Esposito, in fact, is the most common surname in the city of Naples."

[suanj]

other fantasy surnames for foundlings:
Sangiovanni, Sangervasio, Gloriagesù, Mariano, Graziadio, Santacroce, Lunedino, Sabato, Agosti, Marziano etc...
http://www.colaianni.it/genealogia/arch ... ognome.htm
suanj

[NickAndreola]

I knew if I dug deep enough into the knowledge base here, I would find my answer!

I've been finding Esposito on birth records but it didn't necessarily indicate 'abandoned' in Casalvecchio di Puglia. It has been confusing but it appears that here they used it to show a child born out of marriage. One example I already have in the tree is Martino 'Esposito' Andreano. His mother is listed on both birth & death/ his father is listed as 'padre incerto' on the death record. https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Andreano-15

A new branch of the tree (not yet published) I'm working on includes Nicola Maria Fiorito/Fiorita/Fioriti/Fioritti. His birth record:
Name Nicola Maria Esposito
Gender Male
Christening Date 08 Feb 1835
Christening Place CIVILE, CASALVECCHIO DI PUGLIA, FOGGIA, ITALY
Birth Date 06 Feb 1835
Mother's Name Maria Fiorita
[url"Italia Nati e Battesimi, 1806-1900," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XK34-KT5 : 10 February 2018), Nicola Maria Esposito, 08 Feb 1835; citing , reference 2:1DGHWS0; FHL microfilm 1,178,112.][/url]

His marriage record lists him as Esposito and only has his mother's name; Fiorito
Name Nicola Maria Esposito
Birth Date 1835
Birthplace Casalvecchio
Age 20
Spouse's Name Maria Luisa Iacovella
Spouse's Birth Date 1830
Spouse's Birthplace Casalvecchio
Spouse's Age 25
Event Date 04 Feb 1855
Event Place Civile, Casalvecchio Di Puglia, Foggia, Italy
Mother's Name Maria Fiorito
Spouse's Father's Name Michele Iacovella
Spouse's Mother's Name Maria Pasquala Capece
"Italia Matrimoni, 1809-1900," database ... 1,178,118.


His death record lists him as FIORITTI--son of Anna Maria FIORITTI and 'padre incerto'.

His children are all listed differently using the range of spellings. Nicola is generally listed as 'figlio naturale' fu Maria .....on the children's birth records.

Now that I understand the Esposito portion a little better--maybe I'll be able to sort out which version of the surname is correct