I've been searching for many years for records of Emmanuel Bellomo born around 1761 in Caltanissetta to a Vincenzo Bellomo. There is no baptism record, and several Vinceznos the right age, but names usually run in families, and there are no 'Emmanuel' names in the Caltanissetta Bellomo family.
I came across this record (2nd on the left) by accident. I know it isn't him, but it is the first time I've seen "Bellomo" and "Emmanuele/a" together on an 18th century Caltanissetta record. I was hoping it could offer a clue, but my Latin just isn't good enough.
Was this an abondoned girl? I see "P: fuit Antonia Bellomo". I read this as "Emmanuela's Godfather was Antonia Bellomo", is Antonia a man or a woman who is not a Godfather? Who is Vincent? If this child was abandoned, what are the chances her Godfather choose her name?
I realize I am grasping at straws, but at worst, this helps me read Latin better.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/3bi ... a.png?dl=0
Latin Baptism Help
Re: Latin Baptism Help
The infant Emmanuella Bellomo was born today of unknown parents. (the date would be above the first record on this page, which you have cut off). Antonia Bellomo is the godmother, and the daughter of Vincenzo Bellomo and Martina Cassetta (?). Then you have the name of the wetnurse, or the person assigned to feed and care for this infant-Filippa Tramontana. In the margin-she is a daughter of God.
Erudita
Erudita
Re: Latin Baptism Help
Thanks! Does the record refer to her as "Emmanuella Bellomo"? Can we be certain this was a female child? How can "P" stand for Godmother?
Re: Latin Baptism Help
The priest in this town used the capital P in this record for the word patrina for godmother. Here's the record for another Bellomo with the same godmother and her parents are the same as in the record you posted. The priest in this record wrote out the word patrina. In records where there were two godparents, he used the letters PP. (see record -bottom right)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=727965
In the margin of the record you posted, there is the abbreviation for daughter, which is the word filia in Latin, so you see the abbreviation which is an f followed by the letter a (the letter a is up in the air). For the next record on the page, the abbreviation is f followed by "us" (up in the air) for the word filius. That child was a male and the son of God (also of unknown parents, according to his baptism record).
In the future, please post the original link to a record, by copying the url at the top of your page and pasting it here. Thanks.
Erudita
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=727965
In the margin of the record you posted, there is the abbreviation for daughter, which is the word filia in Latin, so you see the abbreviation which is an f followed by the letter a (the letter a is up in the air). For the next record on the page, the abbreviation is f followed by "us" (up in the air) for the word filius. That child was a male and the son of God (also of unknown parents, according to his baptism record).
In the future, please post the original link to a record, by copying the url at the top of your page and pasting it here. Thanks.
Erudita
Re: Latin Baptism Help
I didn't know you could link directly that way - thanks!
BTW - is this the Godmother (3rd last)?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=727965
Thanks for the heads up on male vs female too - I've seen too many 'Nicola', 'Andrea' and 'Maria' to assume names ending in 'a' are female.
Could either child have used the surname 'Bellomo'? In both records, I only see 'Bellomo' listed once, for Antonia.
Of course, my Emmanuel Bellomo could have been baptized as Emmanuel Dei. But he'd only have the surname 'Bellomo' if he were later legitimized and it was the surname of his father, the surname of his Godmother wouldn't matter, right?
BTW - is this the Godmother (3rd last)?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cat=727965
Thanks for the heads up on male vs female too - I've seen too many 'Nicola', 'Andrea' and 'Maria' to assume names ending in 'a' are female.
Could either child have used the surname 'Bellomo'? In both records, I only see 'Bellomo' listed once, for Antonia.
Of course, my Emmanuel Bellomo could have been baptized as Emmanuel Dei. But he'd only have the surname 'Bellomo' if he were later legitimized and it was the surname of his father, the surname of his Godmother wouldn't matter, right?
Re: Latin Baptism Help
If Antonia was the mother, and the child was illegitimate, then the child could have had her surname Bellomo. If you have time, you should see if she appears as godmother for any infants who were not born out of wedlock or who were not children of unborn parents. I personally have never seen such a child recognized by a natural parent, and therefore legitimized, in a church record. Have only seen this in civil records. The church had a duty to baptize all infants, whether legitimate or not. Antonia may just have been a member of the parish who served in the capacity of godmother when an infant had no parents who could choose its child's godparent(s).
Re: Latin Baptism Help
The Antonia in that baptism record has different parents Franco and Domenica Bellomo
Re: Latin Baptism Help
The man I am looking for has 'mro Vincenzo' and 'Carmela Ferrara' listed as his parents on his death record in Polizzi. His age is 77 on his 1839 death record, and 64 on his daughter's 1825 marriage, so 1761 between Feb and May if both ages are correct.
His oldest son was Domenico, same as his wife's father. His next son was named 'Vincenzo', so I believe the death certificate has his father's correct given name. He also had sons 'Gandolfo Luciano' and 'Gioachino' (as well as a grandson 'Giochino'). Gandolfo was the patron saint of Polizzi. I wouldn't be surprised to see 'Gioachino' or 'Luciano' as the father of the Vincenzo I am looking for, as they aren't names in his wife's family.
He had daughters Gandolfa, Concetta, Maria Grazia and Anna (his wife's mother's name) - no Carmela among his daughters or granddaughters. So Carmela might or might not be his mother's name. He had a son marry a 'Ferrara', which is more likely how 'Ferrara' got on the death certificate - I have seen very few people die in Polizzi born elsewhere list the correct mother's surname, but many list another relative in town's surname.
The entire Bellomo family is absent from the Polizzi 1811 Census, although Polizzi is on his son's 1803 baptism. I realize people who didn't own land were left off, but Emmanuel was 50 years old, his sons grown, and all the families they married into are listed.
I have yet to find a Vincenzo Bellomo married to either a Carmela or a Ferrara in Caltanissetta, and today is the first time in 10 years of looking that I saw 'Bellomo' and 'Emmanuel' on the same Caltanissetta record. The oldest son is almost always the father's father's name, and the next is the mother's father's name. 3rd sons and on are almost always named after the patron saint of the town (Michael for Caltanissetta), a grandfather or another relative. Even if Emmanuel had 2 older brothers, it would be weird if he got that name with no other relatives named 'Emmanuel', and I would expect to see him have nephews or cousins named 'Emmanuel'. An interesting exception is there was a 'Jacob' Bellomo in Caltanissetta, and I haven't found another 'Jacob' in the family.
Any idea how likely he was not from Caltanissetta? It is listed 3 times on his death record, so clearly whoever wrote that record believed he was from Caltanissetta. But could he be from a town next to Caltanissetta? Or a town that sounds like Caltanissetta (e.g. Calascibetta)?
There is no reason other than his given name to believe he is a foundling - and since he had a trade, and married young into a respected family (as did his sons who married), it is unlikely. I have never seen a non-legitimized foundling with parent's names on their death record. His marriage record should tell me more, but I have to physically go to Polizzi if I want to view it.
I also need to look for 'Tegolaio' (tilemaker) as an occupation the Caltanissetta Bellomo occupations. His wife's father was a Ferraro (Blacksmith), so I would bet his own father was also a Tegolaio, and I'd expect this to show up in the Civil records if I have the right family.
His oldest son was Domenico, same as his wife's father. His next son was named 'Vincenzo', so I believe the death certificate has his father's correct given name. He also had sons 'Gandolfo Luciano' and 'Gioachino' (as well as a grandson 'Giochino'). Gandolfo was the patron saint of Polizzi. I wouldn't be surprised to see 'Gioachino' or 'Luciano' as the father of the Vincenzo I am looking for, as they aren't names in his wife's family.
He had daughters Gandolfa, Concetta, Maria Grazia and Anna (his wife's mother's name) - no Carmela among his daughters or granddaughters. So Carmela might or might not be his mother's name. He had a son marry a 'Ferrara', which is more likely how 'Ferrara' got on the death certificate - I have seen very few people die in Polizzi born elsewhere list the correct mother's surname, but many list another relative in town's surname.
The entire Bellomo family is absent from the Polizzi 1811 Census, although Polizzi is on his son's 1803 baptism. I realize people who didn't own land were left off, but Emmanuel was 50 years old, his sons grown, and all the families they married into are listed.
I have yet to find a Vincenzo Bellomo married to either a Carmela or a Ferrara in Caltanissetta, and today is the first time in 10 years of looking that I saw 'Bellomo' and 'Emmanuel' on the same Caltanissetta record. The oldest son is almost always the father's father's name, and the next is the mother's father's name. 3rd sons and on are almost always named after the patron saint of the town (Michael for Caltanissetta), a grandfather or another relative. Even if Emmanuel had 2 older brothers, it would be weird if he got that name with no other relatives named 'Emmanuel', and I would expect to see him have nephews or cousins named 'Emmanuel'. An interesting exception is there was a 'Jacob' Bellomo in Caltanissetta, and I haven't found another 'Jacob' in the family.
Any idea how likely he was not from Caltanissetta? It is listed 3 times on his death record, so clearly whoever wrote that record believed he was from Caltanissetta. But could he be from a town next to Caltanissetta? Or a town that sounds like Caltanissetta (e.g. Calascibetta)?
There is no reason other than his given name to believe he is a foundling - and since he had a trade, and married young into a respected family (as did his sons who married), it is unlikely. I have never seen a non-legitimized foundling with parent's names on their death record. His marriage record should tell me more, but I have to physically go to Polizzi if I want to view it.
I also need to look for 'Tegolaio' (tilemaker) as an occupation the Caltanissetta Bellomo occupations. His wife's father was a Ferraro (Blacksmith), so I would bet his own father was also a Tegolaio, and I'd expect this to show up in the Civil records if I have the right family.
Re: Latin Baptism Help
I really don't know what to tell you. Bellomo is a common surname in Sicily, as far as I know. I've seen it even in Siracusa Province, specifically in the town of Sortino records, but I have not traced that surname there and can't say how common it was there. There are online church records for that town back into the 1500s, in case you have time to explore the surname there but, unless you have any reason to believe that you had ancestors in that town with that surname, searching there would probably be a complete waste of time.
I haven't done research in in the towns you mention, and don't know if, for example, there was a foundling home associated with the parish of the records you are going through. Antonia Bellomo, in these records, could have been a rep from a foundling home, or even the midwife, as midwives often served as godparents, but the two records for the girl and boy without parents don't give her occupation. I meant to add that her father Vincenzo is deceased in the 1766 baptism record for the male infant. Also, midwives tended to be older women-some were rather old-in their 60s and older, but I'm sure you already know this, since you've already done extensive research. As to occupations, they normally don't appear in the church records, as you also already know, I'm sure.
The problem with info found in civil death records is that the person(s) who reported the death may not have really known the correct info. It wasn't that the declarant intentionally lied, but that person just reported what he/she believed to be true. So, while information from a declarant who was a relative may be more accurate than information declared by a neighbor or acquaintance, it still may not be accurate. Families didn't keep paper copies of vital documents, as we do today and, even if they had copies, most were illiterate, particularly in the south and Sicily, and couldn't read anyway. That's why the town officials stated in the records that the information which was being recorded was read aloud to those present (be they the declarants or the witnesses).
You could try records of neighboring towns, if you have access to them. Despite the lack of modern means of travel in those early periods, ancestors did have a way of getting themselves to other towns. I've found that to be true in a number of instances in my own ancestry and that of my husband.
I guess that's all for now.
Erudita
I haven't done research in in the towns you mention, and don't know if, for example, there was a foundling home associated with the parish of the records you are going through. Antonia Bellomo, in these records, could have been a rep from a foundling home, or even the midwife, as midwives often served as godparents, but the two records for the girl and boy without parents don't give her occupation. I meant to add that her father Vincenzo is deceased in the 1766 baptism record for the male infant. Also, midwives tended to be older women-some were rather old-in their 60s and older, but I'm sure you already know this, since you've already done extensive research. As to occupations, they normally don't appear in the church records, as you also already know, I'm sure.
The problem with info found in civil death records is that the person(s) who reported the death may not have really known the correct info. It wasn't that the declarant intentionally lied, but that person just reported what he/she believed to be true. So, while information from a declarant who was a relative may be more accurate than information declared by a neighbor or acquaintance, it still may not be accurate. Families didn't keep paper copies of vital documents, as we do today and, even if they had copies, most were illiterate, particularly in the south and Sicily, and couldn't read anyway. That's why the town officials stated in the records that the information which was being recorded was read aloud to those present (be they the declarants or the witnesses).
You could try records of neighboring towns, if you have access to them. Despite the lack of modern means of travel in those early periods, ancestors did have a way of getting themselves to other towns. I've found that to be true in a number of instances in my own ancestry and that of my husband.
I guess that's all for now.
Erudita
Re: Latin Baptism Help
'Bellomo' is not an uncommon surname in Sicily, but it is uncommon in Polizzi, and less common in Caltanissetta as you go further back, and generally more in the South and East.
I appreciate your help. Knowing midwives were older and the Vincenzo mentioned was deceased is new information and potentially helpful. I've already learned the inaccuracies of death records - especially old people in Polizzi who moved from elsewhere when they were young.
I appreciate your help. Knowing midwives were older and the Vincenzo mentioned was deceased is new information and potentially helpful. I've already learned the inaccuracies of death records - especially old people in Polizzi who moved from elsewhere when they were young.