Italy has a millennia-old tradition of abandoning unwanted infants. The Romans exposed them on remote hillsides to be (hopefully) adopted by someone who needed a child or (more likely) eaten by wolves. In more recent times, babies were left on church steps, in most cases to be raised by the Church. Since no one knew who their parents were, these abandoned children were given surnames denoting their orphan status:
- Orfanelli – little orphans
- Poverelli – little poor (people)
- Peverelli – slightly disguised version of the above
- Trovato, Trovatelli – found, little foundling
- Esposito – exposed. BTW, it’s pronounced eh-SPO-sih-toe, not ess-po-ZEE-to
These names have by now been inherited for generations, but, somewhere along the line, these folks’ ancestors were abandoned as infants.
Nicole over at zoomata.com sent me the following:
“Innocenti and Nocentini are both common names of orphan origins in Florence, from the Ospedale degli Innocenti (Hospital of the Innocents)… where babes were left, no questions asked, in a little revolving door in a corner… It’s still there, with a little iron grate over it.”
I am looking to see if there was an orphanage that had records of child, that would of been adopted back from 1895 to 1900 can u let me know what steps I need to take. I am doing Geo. on my dad he said that he was adopted when he was around 2 or 3yeras old . I just need to know what to do
I am looking for information on an orphan, Paul (Paolo) Dogali, born in the late 1800’s in Parma, Italy. No known records. Immigrated to US & married Giulia Gargini from Pestoia, Italy.
My grandfather was born an orphan from Gaeta, Italy late in the 19th century and was raised by nuns who gave him the name ‘ERBETTA” (little herb). About 20 years ago I came across a real estate agent with the name “ERBAFINA”. I bet him that someone in his family was an orphan from Gaeta, Italy. He said it was his grandfather and was amazed I knew as a complete stranger. We compared notes and found that both grandfathers grew up in the same orphanage. I’d be curious to know if there are any others with “ERBE” or “ERBA” in the prefix of their last names and if they know the name of the church (if it’s still there) in Gaeta that took in foundlings around the turn of the century.
My name is Patricia erbetta in the 1950seven of us were put in St Micheal Orphan home in Hopewell n j please email me at ptknight@live.com
My great grandfather Luigi Raio was an orphan in Minori Italy around 1881. Rumor has it he was left with the nuns. I can’t find any record of his birth etc. Any help would be appreciated.
My great grandfather Leonzio Peperoni was found at a church in L’Aquila on Jan 13, 1865.
I do not know where to start looking for records. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Diane
My great-grandfather was Greek but was raise with the reverts Family I just found out threw DNA THAT IAM PART GREEK NOW IAM TRYING TO FIND MY FAMILY
looking for records from Monte carving orphanage for my grandparnets
Hi it patricia erbetta,,in the 1950-1960 we all put in a orphan home but now is gone that was in Hopewell n.j. I think the family on my father side came from abrizzo italy n/s but would love to find family with that name or if it was spelled different.any info would be greatly appreciated ptknight@live.com
I just found a record of my great-grandfather’s birth. The index to the Civil Registry denotes “di ignoti” (of unknowns) and the record itself says “projetto,” which someone in Italy told me means orphan, and then I saw online it can be interpreted it as “thrown away.” However, his name is Gabriele Cirasunda, so I’m wondering about the origin of that? Any help would be appreciated!