Double surnames

[cliklm]

I have been researching church and Riveli records for the 1600-1700's in various Sicilian locales and I have run across instances where there is a double surname, ie, Geraci Purdentia (some of the church records show Geraci, alias Purdentia), Colletti e Musso, Musso e Colletti.

Sometimes these same people are referred to with only one name, ie, Geraci or Purdentia, making it quite confusing when trying to trace a family line. In one 1714 Riveli there is a deceased Giuseppe Tomaso Musso e Colletti, yet his widow is called Caterina Colletti (her maiden name was di Genova). But their son is called Matteo Musso!

I originally though that perhaps one name is the fathers and the second the mothers but this has proven false. I am trying to figure out the significance of two surnames and why some of their children use only one of the surnames. Can someone explain this?

Thank you,
Kathy Montelaro

[Tessa78]

Hi Kathy

Here is a link to an earlier thread with a discussion of double surnames. Maybe it will offer some insight

http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/topic17766.html

T.

[cliklm]

Thank you Tessa. I'll study this link.

Kathy

[ajcris13]

Hi Kathy,

I too have an ancestor who appears in church records as Giovanna Colella and then as Giovanna Minchi-Petrucci and the name finally reverts back to Giovanna Colella. In my ancestor's case she married a Mancini (Minchi - old spelling) and may have been a descendent of the Mancini & Petrucci clans herself.

It was explained to me that there are a number of explanations for the double names:

1) The mother might have remarried and the priest or notary may have used the new father's or linked it to the prior father's name.

2) Using a second name may have been a way to distinguish one clan from another clan in the area with the same name. Most of these names were hyphenated.

3) The individual was related to a family of a higher social level and they wanted that fact to be recognized. Again Hyphenated names were used.

The fact that I have found that this differences only lasts a generation or two and the name reverts back to its original forms (most times).

Hope this helps

Artie

[alidacastorano]

In my family the double surname has lasted many, many generations which still baffles me as to why there are two names: Zambuto Sitra.

I like your reason #2- to distinguish from another clan. It seems to make sense since they were all from Agrigento (Girgenti). But then I wonder, why didn't that happen with all families?
Thank you for the information.