Via Scarangella Toritto My cousin Frank asked me about the origins of his name “Scarangella”, so here is what I found.  The Scarangella name originated in Toritto Bari, and for centuries it was only found there.  Now of course, with the ease of travel and migrations to America, it is found in many places around the world.  There are 543 Scarangella’s listed in the Antenati, most of them from Bari. I found this on a blog and will take it at face value.  If any Scarangella’s read this and have more or different information, please comment below.  Scarangella Initially I thought the name involved an angel (angella) and perhaps a variation of the word “sacred” – sacra in Italian. Southern Italians do have a habit of dropping the first vowel. This however seemed much too simple.  And knowing some of the family I doubt that our surname came from something akin to “holy angel”. So I went a little deeper.  And was astonished, Seems our last name is a “pet female variant” of Scaringi – old Norse, rooted in the Scandinavian name Ansigar – which translates to “God Spear”! The origin of our name is Scandinavian?! Who us?? Apparently Ansigar is the old  Scandinavian form of Ansgar – resulting in myriad forms of the first name Oscar and apparently the origin of our last name as well.   Seems”Scaringi” or “god spear” resulted in some little girl or comely young woman being call “scaringella”, a nickname for a little girl or comely female Scaringi.  Some families still carry the original spelling while others, like ours, changed the “i” to an “a” or more rarely, an “e”. Now how did a name of Norse origin wind up in Southern Italy? Well in 1067, one year after the Norman conquest of England, the Normans landed in Bari and took it from the Byzantines after a three year siege. Now to be fair I have also found the Surname Scaringi in Bari also. This link will take you to the full post My God are we Norse?   Where to find Scarangella’s in Italy  Click here to follow the Italian Genealogy page on Facebook

At the tomb of Pope Paul III my 13th Great-grandfather. The Big Cities If you have never been to Italy, Rome is a must. Walking through the streets you will see thousands of years of history within eyesight as you walk down the street. The Metro is very easy to use and can get you to most of the tourist attractions. It is best to get your tickets in advance, and for the Coliseum it is a must. Our first trip there was in 1995, in August and it was nice because the Italians were on holiday and most places were empty. If you are from the south of Italy, Naples is also a must. While it may not have the reputation as some of the cities in the North, for us southerners it is where all the action took place for centuries. I have to admit that I haven’t yet made it to Florence or Venice. But my bucket list includes at least one more important stop for me as you will read below. I have been to Milan which is a great cosmopolitan city, especially if you want to see the latest fashions.  One great thing now is that you can take a fast train between most of the big cities and it is relatively inexpensive and a lot easier than dealing with an airport.  Click here to join Italian Genealogy Group on Facebook The Home Towns For me this time it was all about the home towns. While the big centers are great, the real Italy is the place your family came from. Even if you are not Italian, the small towns are where you experience the real Italy, people and food. We visited home towns in four different regions Molise, Calabria, Campania and Sicily and each was a unique experience. Our tour was set up by Letizia Sinisi from Italy Rooting and designed just for us.  Of course everyone has their preferences, but for me it was to discover my roots and experience the sights and sounds of my ancestors. We were not able to get to my maternal home towns Toritto and Acquaviva Delle Fonte, but we are hoping to get there this year.  Unlike the big cities, you will walk away from the home towns with a sense of connection to Italy and more important, to your own history. Everyone that makes this journey comes back a changed person and longs to go back.  You With cousin Cinzia at the home of our 3rd Great Grandfather Count Giacomo Piromallo Check out my entire story here Follow our journey Home Town Photos

Maryann Maisano gives us a glimpse into growing up Italian in Fort Lee NJ, music career, dad’s taxi business and her one woman show “Agita” A true Italian-American tale centered around family, food, and of course, drama, Agita is the coming-of-age story of Maryann Maisano, a first-generation Italian American. Set in the shadows of the George Washington Bridge, Agita recounts the joys and challenges of life in 1960s suburban America being raised by traditional Italian immigrants in a rather dysfunctional household. Maisano takes the audience on a poignant and hilarious journey as she recounts tales of her rebellious childhood pushing against her family’s expectations that eventually lead her to embrace the unspeakable… THERAPY! Ultimately, Maisano makes two of the hardest decisions of her adult life, “coming out” to her very Italian family and trading in a six-figure job take a shot at being a full-time entertainer! Agita is a story of courage and hope, and how risking it all to fulfill our dreams is the true path to happiness! ag·i·ta /ˈajēdə/ noun 1.anxiety, stress, or aggravation 2. that feeling you get when you throw up a little in the back of your mouth and it burns AGITA has won “Best Comedy” from Lightbox International Film Festival. Best Stage Play from Movie Play International Film Festival and Best Drama in Indie-fare Independent Film Festival. Agita had its worldwide premier July 22,23 & 24th, 2022 on the streaming service Vimeo on Demand. Vimeo is a free service so need to worry about a 7- day trial. Simply download and sign up. vimeo.com/ondemand/agita www.theitalianchicks.com Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Sabrina Franco owner of www.obiettivocasaroseto.com gives us advice on purchasing a home in Italy.  “OBIETTIVO CASA – Mediazioni & Servizi Immobiliari di Sabrina Franco” was born in Roseto Capo Spulico, in the province of Cosenza, in April 2004. A young and dynamic agency, specialist in tourist real estate sales but at the same time aimed at the residential sector, the increasingly emerging land sector (building or tourist destination) and the credit sector (financing and mortgages). Its role as an intermediary is also important in summer rentals linked to the sea and holidays as well as the proven ability to relate to an international clientele (both English and French). Among its objectives, the conquest of the nearby markets of Amendolara, Oriolo, Montegiordano and Rocca Imperiale.  https://www.facebook.com/obiettivocasaroseto  https://www.facebook.com/homesforsaleincoastalitaly/ Be sure to check out her B & B also. https://www.openbeb.com/ Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video Check out my new book

My great Aunt Maria Piromallo entered 1905. This photo is from the Mid 1930’s taken in New Jersey. Introduction A while back I did a post on Italian Immigration to America.  I touched briefly on the subject and decided to devote some more time to Ellis Island.  By the way, there was a similar port of entry in California. For those of us who are first, second or third generation Italians, we know that our parents, grandparents or great grandparents entered the US through the island in the early part of the 20th Century. I’ve done some digging and unearthed fascinating photos and videos, and added a few of my own.  Rather than go into a long and lengthy dissertation on the subject I will point you to resources that copy the subject in depth.  I hope you enjoy. Visit our Shop Click here to join Italian Genealogy Group on Facebook Library of Congress I stumbled on this site by accident.  They LOC has a comprehensive look into the Italians coming into Ellis Island.  Click the photo on the right to view video.  Click here to read more about L’Isola dell Lagrime at the LOC.  This also serves as a program for teachers on the subject. Summary Depicts scenes at the Immigration Depot and a nearby dock on Ellis Island. Appears to show, first, a group of immigrants lined up to board a vessel leaving the island, then another group arriving at the island and being directed off of the dock and into the Depot by a uniformed official. Contributor Names Bitzer, G. W., 1872-1944, camera. American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress)   This is a MUST SEE video! Other Links Short slide show on Ellis Island Italian Immigration for Kids Maria Luisa Piromallo and her 3 children arrived 1915 Luigi and Marietta Nicoletti arrived 1914 Search Ellis Island using Family Search Search Ellis Island Passengers   My Ellis Island Photos Previous Next My Story