Struggling with Surnames

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JPiedmont
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Struggling with Surnames

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I'm struggling with my great-great-great grandmother's name... Domenica Maria Pietri/Vietri/?. I haven't been able to find a birth record under her name. (All family events so far have been in Solofra, Avellino, Campania, Italy.) Her father's first name is definitely Raffaele, and her mother is Maria Michela... Fusco/Fasio/?. It got me thinking maybe I have the wrong surnames, so I consulted BYU's alphabet charts and then ran through lists of surnames and the current Italy surname map trying to see what was likely and what wasn't. So far I've had no epiphanies.

A few more pairs of fresh eyes would be really helpful. What do y'all think their names are?

Cutout images included, original document links for reference if needed:

#63 - http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 7.jpg.html

#229 - http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 3.jpg.html
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Tessa78
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by Tessa78 »

Surname is Vietri, found in Solofra.

Mother's surname is Fusco.

T.
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Tessa78
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by Tessa78 »

Domenicas mother, Maria Michela Fusco, is deceased at the time of her daughter's marriage.

AND... here is the birth act of Domenica Vietri's husband, Raffaele Martucci.
#186 n 1842
Same parents as listed on the marriage act above.
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

T.
darkerhorse
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by darkerhorse »

I read Vietri and Fusco.

You might want to see how it reads in the index, and if those names are common in that town.
JPiedmont
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by JPiedmont »

Sounds good, thank you both very much!
darkerhorse wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 16:19 I read Vietri and Fusco.

You might want to see how it reads in the index, and if those names are common in that town.
The indexes are a bit tough, some of them are incomplete and others are nearly impossible to read. But! Now that I know I'm definitely looking at the end of the alphabet for Vietri I'll take another look, maybe something will pop that didn't before. Good idea, thanks!
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Tessa78
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by Tessa78 »

Clearly Vietri in her son's 1888 marriage act.

#21
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 0.jpg.html

T.
JPiedmont
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

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Tessa78 wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 18:10 Clearly Vietri in her son's 1888 marriage act.

#21
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 0.jpg.html

T.
You're right, thank you, it's undoubtedly a V here! I'm sorry I wasn't more thorough checking other documents for her name. :oops:
Even if it's only his name and the newlyweds, the 1888 scribe here makes me wish everyone used such beautiful easy-to-read big block letters 😅 and the rest of his writing is clear too.
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by darkerhorse »

In the future, you can always look at indexes for other years, even if there's no records for your ancestors, as it might give you an idea of surnames in the town at that time.
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Tessa78
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by Tessa78 »

JPiedmont wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 19:15
Tessa78 wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 18:10 Clearly Vietri in her son's 1888 marriage act.

#21
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 0.jpg.html

T.
You're right, thank you, it's undoubtedly a V here! I'm sorry I wasn't more thorough checking other documents for her name. :oops:
Even if it's only his name and the newlyweds, the 1888 scribe here makes me wish everyone used such beautiful easy-to-read big block letters 😅 and the rest of his writing is clear too.

Yes, some are truly elegant!

As to your search for the birth act of Domenica Vietri, I am inclined to believe that she may have been born in another town. The Publication of Banns that you posted was recorded in Solofra, but I have been unsuccessful in finding the marriage (although the 1866 marriages are not available, and it may be there.)

I searched the births in 1841, 1842, and 1843 in Solofra and only found the birth act of her husband Raffaele Martucci. I also searched for a possible marriage of Domenica's parents before 1842 in Solofra without luck.

Perhaps finding Domenica's death act will provide some clues.

T.
JPiedmont
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by JPiedmont »

darkerhorse wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 19:42 In the future, you can always look at indexes for other years, even if there's no records for your ancestors, as it might give you an idea of surnames in the town at that time.

That's an excellent idea, thanks! You never know when background information about an area might turn out to be critically important.
Tessa78 wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 20:40
As to your search for the birth act of Domenica Vietri, I am inclined to believe that she may have been born in another town. The Publication of Banns that you posted was recorded in Solofra, but I have been unsuccessful in finding the marriage (although the 1866 marriages are not available, and it may be there.)

I searched the births in 1841, 1842, and 1843 in Solofra and only found the birth act of her husband Raffaele Martucci. I also searched for a possible marriage of Domenica's parents before 1842 in Solofra without luck.

Perhaps finding Domenica's death act will provide some clues.

T.
I also have not had any luck with her birth record, I've been through each of those same three years twice, page by page since I couldn't make sense of their indexes. Just finished the second run a little while ago or I would have mentioned it sooner, sorry. I found a few Domenico's that got my hopes up for a moment... but I agree, either she's from another town or her birth record fell through the cracks just like her marriage. I haven't found any of my Italian ancestor's death records so far, although I have been mostly focused on births and marriages the last few weeks. Worth a shot! I'll post here if I find anything. The satisfaction of solving a good mystery is incomparable!

Edit: Found one for Raffaele Vietri but I'm not sure if it's Domenica's father or not, just don't know enough about him plus I can only read a smidge of Italian: #22 - http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... 1.jpg.html
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Tessa78
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Re: Struggling with Surnames

Post by Tessa78 »

Not him

This Raffaele Vietri was 14 days old at death.

When looking for Domenica's death act, keep in mind that she was alive at the time of her son's marriage in 1888.

T.
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