use of titles in vital records

[catcomp]

I am working in Calabria area. Some of the marriage records give titles before the name.
Maestro Antonio Fera and his wife was la Signora Antonia Sergi (names are ficticious). What does this mean? Land ownership? Will also come across Don and La Donna? What is the significance. These appear in older records before 1860.

[Tessa78]

Excerpts from Travis Cole's book may help...

http://books.google.com/books?id=i_qgMM ... ro&f=false

T.

[catcomp]

thanks - the book worked for me

[johnnyonthespot]

I was about to mention that this is a great book and a worthy addition to any Italian researcher's shelf, but then I noticed that it is apparently out of print and used copies at online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble are going for $68 to $295.95!!

Wow! Maybe I should dust mine off and put it up for auction while the market is hot!