Family from Collepardo, Lazia

[Deblovesbees]

I am interested in finding my great grandfather and grandmother's families. Immigration paperwork lists Collepardo as the home town. Unfortunately, the names they were known as may or may not have been actual. The surname Diangelo, Deangelo, and Deangelis were all used. The ship manifest shows Deangelis, but the corresponding immigration paperwork was Deangello. By the time they were buried, their names were DiAngelo. I am interested in knowing about where birth records may be requested from.

[Tessa78]

You can make a request for birth record directly to the town.

By Mail - include YOUR photo ID and an email address should they need to correspond with you (or send your record via email)
Ufficio dello Stato Civile
Piazza L. Liberatori, 1
03010 Collepardo (FR)
ITALY

By email - you will find a link to the town's email at this site.
http://www.comuni-italiani.it/060/028/index.html

T.

[PippoM]

Surname "De Angelis" is still present in Collepardo, while D'Angelo is not.
The other spellings are weirder for Italians.
However, I guess you'll have to provide their birth years (at least)

[Deblovesbees]

Thank you, i have found the town on a map, but not sure what the town was like in the 1890's that would have prompted people to leave to come to America (other than work). My father thinks this town is near Rome, his father is from L'Aquila. Not sure if any of these areas are near each other. the fact that De Angelis may have been his real name, and Deangelo his Americanized name is possible. That information is helpful. Thank you for the town email link. I will start with that.

[PippoM]

Collepardo is in Lazio, the same region as Roma. On the other hand, it lays at the foot of mountains (very beautiful for treks, I was there), whose other side is in the province of L'Aquila.

[Deblovesbees]

Thank you, since it was at the foot of mountains, I guess farming may not have been good. I always wondered if my grandmother's cooking was from that regional area, vs the L'Aquila area. Maybe it was the same! Hope to find out!

[MarcuccioV]

Thank you, since it was at the foot of mountains, I guess farming may not have been good. I always wondered if my grandmother's cooking was from that regional area, vs the L'Aquila area. Maybe it was the same! Hope to find out!

My grandparents were from a commune about 20 miles due west of Collepardo. While researching, I found several families in town that still used the Latin format for their surname. Some also had "Italianized" them, but were still part of the same families. So keep an eye out for various spellings.

Most Italians from the "emigration" era were "contadini" (peasant or tenant farmers) who generally worked other people's land in return for sustenance. Many figured N & S America provided more opportunities for advancement than a post-feudal Italy. Only a few years after immigrating to the US in 1910, my grandfather was working at a Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Detroit. Beyond his wildest dreams.

Most often hilly or mountainous terrain was used for vineyards...

[joetucciarone]

Hi - you mentioned that you've seen the ship manifest for your great-grandfather. Does it mention his intended destination? You implied that he immigrated in the 1890s; at that time, American companies were heavily recruiting Italians to work in the U.S. They would be hired in large batches of 10, 20, or more. Were there a lot of Italians on the ship; if so, were any of them from his hometown or its vicinity? If so, did any of them list the same destination as your great-grandfather?