Hello Everybody

I have just registered for this website.

I am researching the families of my great grandfather Antonio Cervini who was born around 1864 in Picinisco in the province of Frosinone and my great grandmother Luisa (whose surname was either Mazzella or Battaglia depending on which document you read!!)

Luisa was born in Arpino in Frosinone in around 1866.

They married in London in 1883.

Regards Kaff

Welcome, Kaff!

Welcome to Gente Kaff
I'm sure you'll gets lots of help from this site. They're a mine of information and always willing to help solve problems.
Emmy

Welcome Kaff!

Can you tell us a bit more about what what you've already done and what you are looking for in the way of research? Hopefully we can find something new for you.

Thanks for the warm welcome!!

I have quite a bit of information about Antonio and Luisa's life in England from Census's etc. Although it was only when the 1911 English Census was released online that I knew where in Italy they were born.

I am really looking to find out any information I can about their births in Picinisco and Arpino.

From their marriage certificate I know that Antonio's father was Giovanni. His mother Maria (also born in Picinisco) is shown on the English Census's.

On the marriage certificate the space for Luisa's fathers name is blank.

The main puzzle is why Luisa's maiden name is shown as Battaglia on some documents including their marriage certificate and some of the childrens birth certificates and Mazzella on others (I have my grandfathers original Baptism Certificate which is written in Latin with an English translation and shows her maiden name as Mazzella).

Sorry to go on a bit

Any help to point me in the right direction regarding research in Italy would be welcome

Regards Kaff

Hmm...I wonder if she was raised by relatives or was adopted later on in life. This has happened more often that we think. I think you need to get a copy of Luisa's actual birth act and see what that says. Do you have her ship manifest when she arrived in England? I would be curious to see it..

Thank you for your interest Nuccia.

I had not thought of Luisa being adopted or brought up by other than her parents.

If I applied for details of Luisa's birth what information would I have to supply?

I'm afraid that I do not have the ships manifest for either Antonio or Luisa.

Since she is a direct relative, you would just need to write to the comune where she was born and request a copy of her birth act (not birth certificate). This will at least tell you the name she was born with, her parents names, possibly the ages of one or both her parents at the time of her birth and if you are really lucky, if may list her grandfather's names and whether they were alive or dead. It may also show notations about marriages or death info if it was reported to the comune.


There are standard letter requests available. Do you need a link for one or would you prefer to write your own and have someone here translate it to Italian for you?

Could you send me a link please?

Sure. Here are a few.

www.circolocalabrese.o.../index.asp

www.angelfire.com/ok3/...earch.html

These two site should help.

Thank you for your help Nuccia.

Hi Kaff, I have only learnt of this website tonight and have come across your posting re: Antonio & Luisa Cervini and I would love to know where you fit into the puzzle as they were also my grt gparents. My gfather was their son Achille (Achild). Unfortunately I don't think I have anymore information about the family than you already have. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hi Savvy

I have sent you a PM

Regards
Kaff

Hi - welcome!
We too have a woman with two names that showed up on information - we have not yet determined where or who the one last name came from -- but we were told by Italian officials that when a woman was previously married and widowed, she and witnesses were to show proof of the first marriage with a death certificate in order to marry again - but that does not always show up on new certificates - we found a few instances where the notations were made by hand on top of certificates, referencing a death certificate number - but in this woman's case, we have not found that notation - at least not yet - and family has no idea that she was ever married before. So we too search for why two names!

Thank you for your welcome Bonval.

It is nice to know I am not the only one with the problem of two surnames for one lady!!

Would my Luisa have been too young to have been married before - according to her marriage certificate she was 19 when she married my great grandfather?

Regards Kaff