putting record data in context

[elmosgirl]

My research has always involved efforts to learn about much more than names and dates for the families I've studied.

I'd appreciate having context for a word in a record I have.

A 33 year old paternal GreatGreatUncle was a witness to an 1824 wedding held in the small comune of Scisciano outside Naples. The comune had less than 2000 people living there in 1861 so I can only imagine what the population might have been 40 years earlier.

The record reports his

professione

as

Benetante regni solo.

I can translate the words, but would really like to learn the social context they capture.

Who might he have been in that small place when characterized that way?

Knowing this would tell me so much more about my family's history, and thank you for your replies!

[mmogno]

Maybe "Benestante regnicolo"

[elmosgirl]

Thank you for your reply. The words don't add to what I asked for though.

Why would a comune's citizen be described this way? What did it say about the person?

It isn't a description I've found in other records.

Doesn't mean it isn't there! Just that I haven't come across it!

[PippoM]

"regnicolo" just means that he was a citizen of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
"Benestante", "Civile", "Proprietario", "Possidente" are different degrees of higher level social status, that are esteemed to be about 10% of the population of that time.

[elmosgirl]

Thank you so much PippoM!

This adds to my understanding of,and appreciation
for,my paternal family.

Even about those who lived 200 years ago!