Help with the surname DiCarro;DiCaro;DeCaro
Help with the surname DiCarro;DiCaro;DeCaro
Hello everyone. I have been trying to find more information on my Great Grandfather, and his family. It took me forever to find his information on the Ellis Island records. He spelled his last name several diffrent ways, we found passports with the diffrent spellings. What also made it hard was that he spelled Michael as Michele. His last name is DiCarro, but he also spelled it DiCaro, DeCaro, de Caro, di Caro. He came to the United states in 1903, and he was 42 at that time. I know he was married several times, and had many children, not only in the united states, but also in Brazil, South America. If anyone has any information on the surname I'd appreciate it. Thanks
The correct name is the name that would appear on the ellis island records since contrary to common opinions, surnames were not changed at time of entry into the USA and were copied from pasdsports and documents validated by the Italian government based on identity documents. Sometimes names might have been mispelled when records were handwritten or looked mispelled but often chnages took place on the job or at school or casually during the course of living in the USA. I would rely on the entry spelling of the surname and then from those same records obtain the town of origin for the family and request birth or marriage records from the civil records office. Please get back to me if thats the way you wish to go. If you wish to know the origins of the surname and from where it is derived please let me know. Peter
