Esposito family

[Tessa78]

Hi Tessa and all,
I need help! I found my great-grandfather's birth notice in Antenati on April 24 1860 which Tessa has provided in the marriage certificate. However, the surname is Napolitano instead of Esposito and his parents are the same people on the marriage notice except that Nicola and his father Giuseppe,are Napolitano,not Esposito.Giovina De Santo is the mother on both and the birth dates are identical. Napolitano is the name used in the U.S. and Canada. Tessa has also found my Grandmother's birth notice and her parents are Nicola Esposito and Giovina di Santo.
I hope I have explained the confusion well enough. Can someone please give some insight into the surname discrepancy that has occurred in Italy?
Thanks ,
Rick

Can you post the link to this record, Rick, to save time?

T.

[Rick Berni]

I'd love to Tessa but I don't know how. I am pretty computer illiterate unfortunately. Here is the link written out if it helps or you could tell me how to send the link.-Archivio di Stato Bari>della Restaurazione>Andria>Nati>1860>immagine 479.
Let me know if I can do anything and thanks for your help.
Rick

[Tessa78]

Never mind... I found it!
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

At the bottom of the birth act is an annotation that states that by the order of the court (Tribunale) of Trani, dated 23 May 1885, the surname of Nicolo' Napolitano was corrected to Esposito.

Since the rectification occurred right before his marriage, it is likely that the mistake on the birth act was not found until he needed it for his marriage documents.

That said... there also might have been some confusion when Nicolo' applied for his immigration papers, and his name (from his ORIGINAL birth act) was copied as Napolitano - and just stayed that way in the US.

Hope that helps!

EDIT***

Here is the official rectification record #18 in the Births for 1885, Parte II
Bottom right...
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

T.

[Rick Berni]

Thanks for your help Tessa. I am still a little confused. Does this mean that his father,Giuseppe and his father,Vincenzo have the last name Esposito? I am having a difficult time finding Esposito info in Andria. And remember Tessa, I'm only a Rookie.
Rick

[Tessa78]

Thanks for your help Tessa. I am still a little confused. Does this mean that his father,Giuseppe and his father,Vincenzo have the last name Esposito? I am having a difficult time finding Esposito info in Andria. And remember Tessa, I'm only a Rookie.
Rick

Honestly, I do not know.
There was no mention of the parents' names in the rectification... so that is somewhat strange.
BUT... he was not abandoned, and his parents were known and his father presented him. So the Esposito surname could have been a family surname for his record.

Let me see what I can find on the father, Giuseppe, and the grandfather, Vincenzo.
OR... perhaps a marriage of Giuseppe and Nunzia Campanale

T.

[Rick Berni]

Thanks so much Tessa. I really appreciate it. I have one aunt still alive from this family and she is 96. I am looking forward to telling her this story. She has always thought her mother's maiden name was Napolitano.
I also don't want to take up your time doing this, so even if you can point me in the right direction, I can do a lot of the searching.
Thanks again,
Rick

[Tessa78]

I have not yet found a birth for Giuseppe (tried 1828-1830) with surname Esposito or Napolitano.

HOWEVER, I found a child born to Giuseppe Napolitano and Nunzia Campanale in 1858 - given the name Nicolo' Napolitano.
#392
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

It is probable that this child died, and when the next male was born he was given the same name. But this makes the name change to Esposito even more confusing.

I will see what else I can find.

T.

[Rick Berni]

Wow,thanks Tessa. You know, my grandmother never wanted to go back to Italy with my grandfather. He went back on his own several times. I wonder if all this name confusion has something to do with it.
Rick

[Tessa78]

Wow,thanks Tessa. You know, my grandmother never wanted to go back to Italy with my grandfather. He went back on his own several times. I wonder if all this name confusion has something to do with it.
Rick

Definitely a possibility!

I am going to go back to the rectification record and see if there is something that I missed.

ALSO...

Here is a daughter, Angela Napolitano, born to the same couple in 1855.
Margin notation indicates a marriage in 1878 in Andria... but NO name change.
#1071
http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... ewsIndex=0

T.

[Rick Berni]

Awesome Tessa. Thank you. I will put this in my documents file.
Rick

[Tessa78]

Rick,

I have read through the rectification several times and find nothing new.(?????)
I almost get the sense that Nicolo' may have wanted his name "corrected"
Maybe there is some "family story" about estrangement? Possible?

NOTE: This name change was done AFTER the death of his parents!

So far I am finding Giuseppe Napolitano and Nunzia Campanale's other children's names remaining the same.

T.

[Rick Berni]

This is really getting bizarre but interesting Tessa. I noticed quite a few Napolitanos while I was searching. I wonder if they are cousins of my great- grandfather. If thy are, why no change in name to Esposito as well. Something doesn't add up. As I said earlier, it is very difficult to even find the name Esposito in the Andria records that I have searched.
Rick

[Tessa78]

I believe that Nicolo' was born with the surname Napolitano. Yes, his name was "corrected" by the court, but no apparent reasons were given in the document other than "Nicolo' Napolitano was really Esposito" -

Perhaps there was a "falling out" with other family members, perhaps he wanted to go "incognito" - I do not believe we will ever know. But, in truth, he was a Napolitano, and resumed using his true name after he emigrated.

T.

[Rick Berni]

You know Tessa, I was thinking the same thing, that there was a falling out and he wanted a name change. I found a sheet of paper my cousin gave me that says he went back to Italy from Boston in Nov.1921. I don't know if his wife went with him. It looks like you uncovered this as well. Do you happen to know when he died and if it was in Andria?
Do you suggest I treat Napolitano as potential relatives in Andria,when I come across them doing research? The other odd thing is the fact that, Nicolo went back to using Napolitano.Why? I wonder if that is the name on his grave?
Thanks for uncovering all this Tessa. I really appreciate it. So many questions left unanswered though. It will be interesting to see how my aunt reacts when I tell her all this.
Rick

[Tessa78]

Happy to help!

Of course, more research is needed

T.