Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

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Joseph198
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Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by Joseph198 »

I've always been interested in my italian lineage and was always told my last name was Italian (My grandpa was 100%). I've been learning how to speak Italian in college and I've been trying to find info on my last name on the internet. My last name is Piedmonte and most listings I've found drop the d or drop the e on the end. I realize Piemont is a province in Italy and I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out whereabouts my last name originates from/ why it would be spelled differently. Thanks,

Joe.
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johnnyonthespot
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by johnnyonthespot »

"Piedmont" is the anglicized spelling; the Italians spell it "Piemonte". See the official website at http://www.regione.piemonte.it/

There certainly is a strong chance that your correct name is Piemonte; it will take some research to trace your grandfather's roots to know for sure.

What info do you have on your grandfather? Given name, date/place of birth, year he emigrated (to the US?), etc.
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misbris
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by misbris »

Hi and welcome to the forum,

Although about 15 people came through Ellis Island with the name Piedmonte, the correct Italian spelling is Piemonte as Johnny indicated. The name is difused throughout Italy, not just in the North.

If you want some further help in tracking down your grandfather's (or whomever the immigrant was) records, let us know. The more info you can provide, the better we can help.
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uantiti
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by uantiti »

Hi,
While Piedmonte doesn't exist in Italy, there are two possible similar Italian surnames:

PIEMONTE and PIEDIMONTE and can be found throughout Italy.

Both words Piemonte and Piedimonte mean: at the foot of the mountains.

Ada
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Lili2
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by Lili2 »

There is a town in Sicily called Piedmonte Etneo. I am no authority on this but I believe its spelt with a "d" in this case.
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johnnyonthespot
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Post by johnnyonthespot »

Lili2 wrote:There is a town in Sicily called Piedmonte Etneo. I am no authority on this but I believe its spelt with a "d" in this case.
You left out the second "i". It is Comune di Piedimonte Etneo, along the northeast coast of Sicily. See http://www.comune.piedimonte-etneo.ct.it/
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carinthiangirl
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by carinthiangirl »

where are living Piemonte and Piedimonte today:
http://gens.labo.net/it/cognomi/genera.html
write in the name left above at cognome.

phonebook:
http://www.infobel.com/de/world/Teldir. ... .com/italy
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carmine1917
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by carmine1917 »

I have the same problem. My last name was misspelled when my father was born, in Brooklyn! When my grandfather came to this country his name was written correctly on his manifest, but whoever typed it in on ellisisland put a V instead a U and on all different documents I have found through my genealogy records I have seen the name with LL's added here and there. I also noticed on my grandmother's death certificate her maiden name was spelled totally different also, and her mothers maiden name gets different spellings all the time.
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by PeterTimber »

The surname PIEMONTE is the base surname listed in the Italian surname Dictionary and its variants are Piemonti, Its derived from Piemontese e Piemontesi.

The surname is listed sporadically thruout Italy but mostly found in the South of Italy . The surname is PIEMONTE as is the historic region and in modern Italy

PIEDIMONTE is a another spelling entirely and found in places like Piedimonte d'Alife e Massicano comuni

=Peter=
~Peter~
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Joseph198
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by Joseph198 »

Hey guys, I thought I'd update you all on some info I came across.

"Albina Mary Silvaggio who was born on January 17, 1900.

In 1909, she came to America from Ripabottoni, Italy. The next year a young man, Michelangelo Piedmonte also arrived in America from Ripabottoni, Italy. They met in Monroe, Michigan and were married on May 8, 1916 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

This is where they planted their roots, and the Piedmonte family tree began to grow."


This was taken from someone in our family that did a family tree generator/ancestry deal, I guess what I'm still wondering is if there is a possibility that it was changed when my great grandfather Michelangelo first came to the USA, I've never heard that from my fathers side of the family but I suppose it's possible.

also.. I am under the assumption that the correct pronunciation of my last name would be Pied-mon-tay?


Thanks,

Joe
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by JohnArmellino »

I believe the correct spelling is Piedimonte.
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johnnyonthespot
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Indeed! There are three Piedimonte's in the current Ripabottoni telephone listings. Quite possibly they are relatives.

http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi ... ttoni&l=en
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johnnyonthespot
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by johnnyonthespot »

Joseph198 wrote: also.. I am under the assumption that the correct pronunciation of my last name would be Pied-mon-tay?
Try this http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php I like Paolo's voice. :)

Pee-ed-ee-MOAN-tay or Ped-ee-MOAN-tay.
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Joseph198
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by Joseph198 »

johnnyonthespot wrote:
Joseph198 wrote: also.. I am under the assumption that the correct pronunciation of my last name would be Pied-mon-tay?
Try this http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php I like Paolo's voice. :)

Pee-ed-ee-MOAN-tay or Ped-ee-MOAN-tay.

Thank you so much! That site is really awesome, didn't even realize something like that existed.
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carinthiangirl
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Re: Wondering about my last name, any help is appreciated.

Post by carinthiangirl »

"The name Piedmont comes from medieval Latin Pedemontium or Pedemontis, i. e. "ad pedem montium", meaning "at the foot of the mountains" (attested in documents of the end of the 13th century)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piemonte
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmontese_language
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