x
Toggle Content Register or Login  -  March 29, 2024, 1:23 am
Toggle Content User Info

Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: LucilleDZ
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 2016

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 271
Total: 271
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: My Account
02: Community Forums
03: Community Forums
04: Statistics
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: My Account
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: My Account
12: Community Forums
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: My Account
17: Community Forums
18: My Account
19: My Account
20: Community Forums
21: My Account
22: Community Forums
23: My Account
24: Community Forums
25: Community Forums
26: Community Forums
27: Community Forums
28: Community Forums
29: My Account
30: Community Forums
31: My Account
32: Photo Gallery
33: Community Forums
34: Community Forums
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Community Forums
39: My Account
40: Community Forums
41: Home
42: Community Forums
43: Statistics
44: Community Forums
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Statistics
51: Community Forums
52: Home
53: Statistics
54: My Account
55: My Account
56: Community Forums
57: Photo Gallery
58: Home
59: Community Forums
60: My Account
61: My Account
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Community Forums
66: Statistics
67: Community Forums
68: Photo Gallery
69: Community Forums
70: My Account
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: My Account
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Community Forums
79: Community Forums
80: My Account
81: Statistics
82: Community Forums
83: Community Forums
84: Photo Gallery
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Community Forums
90: My Account
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: My Account
94: Community Forums
95: Community Forums
96: Photo Gallery
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Community Forums
100: Home
101: Community Forums
102: My Account
103: My Account
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: My Account
107: Community Forums
108: My Account
109: My Account
110: Community Forums
111: Community Forums
112: My Account
113: My Account
114: My Account
115: My Account
116: My Account
117: My Account
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: Community Forums
121: Photo Gallery
122: Statistics
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: My Account
127: Community Forums
128: Community Forums
129: Community Forums
130: Community Forums
131: My Account
132: My Account
133: Community Forums
134: Community Forums
135: My Account
136: My Account
137: Community Forums
138: Community Forums
139: Community Forums
140: My Account
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Community Forums
144: My Account
145: Community Forums
146: Community Forums
147: Photo Gallery
148: Community Forums
149: Community Forums
150: Community Forums
151: Community Forums
152: My Account
153: Community Forums
154: Community Forums
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: Community Forums
158: Community Forums
159: Community Forums
160: Community Forums
161: Photo Gallery
162: Community Forums
163: Community Forums
164: Community Forums
165: Community Forums
166: Community Forums
167: My Account
168: Community Forums
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Photo Gallery
172: Community Forums
173: My Account
174: My Account
175: Community Forums
176: Community Forums
177: Community Forums
178: Community Forums
179: My Account
180: Community Forums
181: Community Forums
182: Community Forums
183: Community Forums
184: My Account
185: Community Forums
186: Community Forums
187: Community Forums
188: Community Forums
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Community Forums
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Community Forums
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: My Account
198: My Account
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: My Account
202: My Account
203: My Account
204: Community Forums
205: My Account
206: Community Forums
207: Community Forums
208: My Account
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Community Forums
213: Community Forums
214: Home
215: Community Forums
216: Community Forums
217: Community Forums
218: My Account
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Photo Gallery
222: Community Forums
223: Community Forums
224: My Account
225: My Account
226: My Account
227: My Account
228: My Account
229: My Account
230: Statistics
231: My Account
232: My Account
233: Community Forums
234: My Account
235: Community Forums
236: Community Forums
237: Community Forums
238: My Account
239: My Account
240: My Account
241: Community Forums
242: Community Forums
243: Community Forums
244: Community Forums
245: Community Forums
246: Community Forums
247: Community Forums
248: Community Forums
249: Home
250: Community Forums
251: Community Forums
252: My Account
253: My Account
254: Community Forums
255: Community Forums
256: Community Forums
257: Community Forums
258: My Account
259: Community Forums
260: Community Forums
261: My Account
262: Community Forums
263: Community Forums
264: My Account
265: Community Forums
266: Statistics
267: Community Forums
268: Community Forums
269: Community Forums
270: Community Forums
271: Community Forums

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Toggle Content Main Menu
Toggle Content Last Posts
Last 10 Forum Messages

bocca
Last post by tennino in General Discussion Groups on Jan 16, 2021 at 16:56:41

Towns in Frosinone that were part of former Vatican States a
Last post by Italysearcher in Central Italy on Feb 19, 2019 at 09:15:58

Dual Citizenship
Last post by Curci-Ghio in General Discussion Groups on Nov 18, 2018 at 15:30:54

Please Help Translate Letter
Last post by nuccia in Translations on Oct 20, 2018 at 06:18:43

Family in Cittanova
Last post by russojoseph1 in Translations on Oct 14, 2018 at 12:28:20

DNA Testing
Last post by nuccia in General Discussion Groups on Sep 29, 2018 at 10:39:30

Trento -Atto di Nascita - Frazione di Poia, Comune di Comano
Last post by exevans in Northern Italy on Mar 28, 2018 at 00:45:37

Translating written postcard
Last post by mekanic in Translations on Jan 18, 2018 at 13:58:50

Translating written postcard
Last post by mekanic in Translations on Jan 18, 2018 at 13:53:38

State of the Family Record & Other State Records
Last post by debbiemfit in Northern Italy on Jan 02, 2018 at 23:14:28

Toggle Content Help Support this Site
Please support GentediMareGenealogy
Help us by supporting the future development of this site, or simply to say thank you.
Toggle Content EStore
Community Forums › General › General Discussion Groups › Italian given names and English equivalents

     Forum FAQ   Search   Log in to check your private messages   Login  
Italian given names and English equivalents
Want to share something new or just have fun? You can do that here.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum Index General Discussion Groups Printer Friendly Page

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
tjbrn
Explorer
Explorer


Joined: Jan 24, 2008
Posts: 487
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 12:29 pm    Post subject: Italian given names and English equivalents Reply with quote

I am curious about the derivation of the English equivalents of Italian given names. My mother was named Gaetana. She has been known as Ida for as long as I can remember, which corresponds to various online references regarding the English equivalents for Italian names; however, Gaetano, the masculine form corresponds to Thomas. How were these equivalents determined, especially since Gaetano, for example, might have Greek origins? Giuseppe-->Josephum-->Joseph makes sense but other names are a puzzle. Along similar lines, can anyone shed light on when and/or who would have initiated the change from using the original Italian given name to the English equivalent? I know that the answer to the previous question depends on individual families and their circumstances. In my own family, I know that my Sicilian grandparents gave their children Italian names (birth and baptismal documents substantiate this); however, I have not determined conclusively when English equivalent names were adopted, and how and by whom they were arrived at. Knowing what I know about my grandparents, it seems unlikely that they did this unassisted.

_________________
Tom

Scribbling
Back to top
View user's profile
Eleven
Explorer
Explorer


Joined: Jul 11, 2007
Posts: 959
Location: New York

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Italian given names and English equivalents Reply with quote

I can only comment on my own family. But, first about gaetano. I have found people with that name using thomas, tommy and also guy.

My mother, was born giovannina. She said the school teacher chose her american name with her..by asking if she liked johanna or jennie. My mother became jennie and I believe she had the giovannina legally changed to jennie. I find that sad.

My aunt (fathers side) also said they chose her american name for her in school.

It seems, that unlike today, the professionals couldnt accept the ethnic names or had no wish to learn how to pronounce them..so renamed these school aged children. Heh..I would love to see the uproar today, if that ever occured.
Back to top
View user's profile
nuccia
Admin
Admin


Joined: Jul 09, 2007
Posts: 4375
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Italian given names and English equivalents Reply with quote

I think alot of children's names were changed in the schools, but I could be wrong. My name is Erminia and of course, that was not a very common name to grow up with in the '70's. To complicate things, I was known as Nuccia by my family. Since Irma was so "similar" to Erminia, (at least one of my teachers thought so) she decided that would be my name. My cousin (who has the same name and had the same problem thought there was no way we should be called Irma and so we became "Amie", a name I still use today. But of course, I still sign my real name on all my legal documents.

My uncle years and years ago decided to move to the US and was going through a messy divorce so he just up and totally changed his name. There was no court proceedings, he just signed it and still goes by that name today. But I believe he also uses his real name now. I'll ask him next time his up. I think it would be interesting to ask and I only know the story second hand anyway.

Will let you know.

_________________
nuccia
Italian Surname Database

Calabria Exchange
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
Eleven
Explorer
Explorer


Joined: Jul 11, 2007
Posts: 959
Location: New York

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Italian given names and English equivalents Reply with quote

Nuccia..your real name is so pretty...and different.

Ya know..all of these old world names are coming back.

The daughter of a friend of mine..named her son, Giovanni. Another womans daughter, I know, probably 3-4th generation, born here named her baby Giovannina.

My generation tried to get away from the italian names...well I guess my mother did, too because my name is nowhere near italian.

I gave my son an italian first name (but that was NOT my choice). Its the name of his father and his grandfather..and I fought tooth and nail with my son and dil not to give that name to their son. It took me 9 months..but they ended up reversing my sons first and middle name for my grandson..so Anthony is his first name, and the other, is in the middle.

I was tickled pink. I hug my grandson everytime I see him and call him "my" Anthony. The Anthony it took me 34 years to get..lol
Back to top
View user's profile
tjbrn
Explorer
Explorer


Joined: Jan 24, 2008
Posts: 487
Location: North Carolina

PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Italian given names and English equivalents Reply with quote

I don't believe any of my aunts or uncles legally changed their given or surname; however, I do know that the surname "Dragotto" became "Degrotto" for reasons I've yet to unearth except for the attempt to sound less Italian given the difficulties they encountered getting work. Dragotto was still used in 1930 as it appears on the 1930 census although the given names were the English equivalents--my mom was only 3 and she was already listed as Ida. The crazy thing is that "Degrotto" certainly sounded Italian to the locals in south Jersey! My genealogical efforts were stymied for several years as I searched Italian name databases in vain for any trace of the name Degrotto. Dutch, yes, even a possibility of French but never a hit in any Italian name database that I tried. All of the breakthroughs came when the letters were translated on this site for me. I'm still trying to ascertain my Uncle Russell's given name. The easy answer is Rosario; however, according to the naming convention that Italians followed he should have been named Salvatore as he was the second son and my grandmother's father's name was Salvatore. I have an uncle who is named Salvatore but he was born in 1939 and my uncle Russell died in 1945 so the renaming practice doesn't seem logical in this case. I wish I had asked my grandmother more questions as a kid or at least different ones as I'm sure I taxed her patience more than once!!

_________________
Tom

Scribbling
Back to top
View user's profile
  Page 1 of 1All times are GMT - 4 Hours

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum Index General Discussion Groups Printer Friendly Page

  
 
Jump to:  



You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum



Hosted By Site5.com
The logos and trademarks used on this site are the property of Gente di Mare Genealogy.
We are not responsible for comments posted by our users, as they are the opinions of the poster.
Interactive software released under GNU GPL, Code Credits, Privacy Policy
TCD_ItalianGene © Gente di Mare Genealogy