Joanna

[darkerhorse]

I have a copy of a marriage letter from a Catholic church in the U.S. written in Italian by a priest in the early 1920s.

One of the witnesses is named "Joanna".

I don't believe that "Joanna" is a typical Italian name.

What do you think the English equivalent would be for "Joanna"?

[bbivona]

Giovanna

[darkerhorse]

I don't know of a Giovanna whom it could be.

The three likeliest candidates with Joanna's last name were Anna, Josephine (Giuseppina), and Jennie (Vincenza). Do you think it could have been one of them?

[bbivona]

None of those is a very good fit. Anna, Giuseppina, and Vincenza all have fairly straightforward English equivalents, and Joanna/Giovanna is pretty straightforward. If "Joanna" has to be one of those three, Anna, seems the most likely. Still I don't see an obvious probable equivalent name to Joanna.

[AngelaGrace56]

I would agree with Giovanna but my first thought was Gianna.

The other name I thought of was Giannina which may have become Nina.

Angela

[erudita74]

I know of Italian born ancestors named Giovanna who were called Jennie in the U.S. I would think the names Joanna and Giovanna are related names especially when I think of spellings in Latin church records. Giuseppa/Giuseppina for Josephine.

You may find this link useful:

https://www.termini-imerese.org/LatinTransalations.htm

Look at the Italian name Giovanni vs its Latin equivalent

[darkerhorse]

Thanks. Anna is the likeliest person, going by family relationship but you never know.