Question on Italian Marriage Certificate

[jennabet]

I just received a marriage certificate from Calabria. I have a question about the father of the bride and groom.

For groom: figlio di fu Felice
e di Gallo Giuseppa
fu is not a first name. Does anyone know what "fu" means as it pertains to the father, Felice?

For bride: figlia di Felice
e di Bongiorno Rosa
Again, Felice for the father but without the "fu"

Any thoughts, amici?

[johnnyonthespot]

fu means deceased. The groom is the son of the deceased Felice (surname presumed to be same as the son's) and Giuseppa Gallo, who is apparently still living.

[johnnyonthespot]

Let me re-state that: I believe the literal translation of fu is "was" as in he/she/it was...

When used in this manner, it means the the groom's father was Felice, who is now deceased, as opposed to the groom's mother who is Giuseppa Gallo.

[jennabet]

OK, thanks Carmine. Understood for the Groom. But what about the Bride? Father is also Felice, no first name and can't be assumed because first name of the bride is Rosa?

[johnnyonthespot]

Both the bride and the groom's father's were named Felice (http://www.nomix.it/700f.php). In neither case is the surname given because it is simply assumed to be the same as the child.

The groom is the son of the deceased Felice Smith and the living Giuseppa Gallo.

The bride is the daughter of the living Felice Jones and the living Rosa Bongiorno.

[jennabet]

I think the sur name is Felice, not the first name. In Italy, sur name (cognome) always precedes first name (nome).

[jennabet]

OK, got ya now. So it IS the first name and cognome would be assumed to be the same as the child. Got it. Grazie tanto.

[mler]

So interesting how it was written. It's easy to misread the passato remoto since it's used so rarely except in literature.