Click here to Join Italian Genealogy on Facebook My connection to Veneto goes back to several ancestors Barbarossa, the d’ Este and Carrara families and several Doges.  See the links below. History The population of the Veneto began around7000 years ago, and intensified during the Bronze Age, firstly in the hills around Verona, along the eastern coast of Lake Garda and near the river courses of the zone. Around 1000 B.C. the Paleovenetian civilisation developed a true culture in the territory of Este, and established links with other distant peoples such as the Greeks, Etruscans, Celts and other Transalpine races. The Venetians quickly established a strong ethnic, cultural and political identity, and to preserve this they formed an alliance with the Romans in the 3rd century B.C. to confront the barbarian threat. This alliance led to important construction within the infrastructure and organisation and edification of urban centres. The Veneto then became completely absorbed in the Roman Empireduring the 1st century B.C. though still maintaining its distinct traits, for which Rome demonstrated great respect. In the first centuries A.D.Germanic invasionsdealt a hard blow to the Venetians and the Romans and following the devastation of the Longobards the inhabitants began their exodus towards the lagoon area. The first nucleus of the city of Venice is datable to around the 9th -10th centuries. The mainland settlements came under assault from the Hungarians, leading to the erection of new fortifications, which shortly after gave birth to a multitude of autonomous jurisdictions and the phenomenon of feudalism, gradually giving way to the renewal of commerce in the 12th century and the birth of the comune system. These comunes, united through the Lombard League fought against the various attempts at restoring the empire by both Frederick I (‘Barbarossa’) and Frederick II. These conflicts favoured the noble ruling families such as the da Romano, da Camino, da Carrara and d’Este, who, proclaiming themselves guardians of their respective cities, thus became elected with the title of podestà, or captain of the people. Meanwhile Veniceescaped from the aegis of Byzantium, which had made it one of its provinces, installing an oligarchic government ruled by the Doge, and expanded its power throughout the Mediterranean by controlling the ports and trade routes of the eastern basin. The important commercial conquests of the Venetians led to hostility from Genoa, who in the 13th century began the struggle for domination of the seas, which was finally obtained by Venice. Venice’s authority spread also to the mainland, however, and at the beginning of the 15th century it was the greatest power of the Italian peninsula and consequently was able to unify the lands of the Veneto. This hegemony produced a common style of culture, language and architecture. In 1797 theVenetian Republicgave its last breath, conquered by Napoleon and then ceded to Austria with the treaty of Campoformio until 1866, when Venice was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy. The Veneto played a highly important role during the Great War of 1914-18when the Italo-Austrian front, which had earlier stretched from the uplands of the Asiago and Dolomites as far as the hills of Gorizia, withdrew after the defeat at Caporetto (24th November 1917) to Monte Grappa and Piave, that is until the borders of the plain: a front line which was decisive for the whole conflict, and in commemoration of which is the shrine at Cima Grappa and various other war memorials throughout the territory. The armistice was signed on 3rd November 1918 at Villa Giusti in Padua. The Second World Wardid not produce a huge amount of damage here, though Treviso and Verona suffered heavy bombardment, and the Germans occupied the area after8th September 1943, date of the armistice with the Allies signalling the end of Italy’s military alliance with the Nazis. From the Venetian Side. History of Veneto From a Roman province to a Doge Republic Originally inhabited by Indo-European Veneti and Euganei, Veneto was conquered by the Romans in the 3rdcentury BC. After the fall of Rome, Goths and Lombards invaded the region. Many Venetians fled into the swampsof the lagoon and established settlements there – Venice was born.With the rise of the city-states in Italy, Venice conquered the eastern Mediterranean and rose to become the most important trading power in Europe. Following its the defeat at the hands of the Ottomans, Venice conquered the surrounding area of the mainland and integrated Verona and Padua into the Venetian empire. After a slow decay of power, Veneto was incorporated into the Hapsburg Empire in the 19thcentury, and finally, in 1866, into the Kingdom of Italy. More… Veneti and Romans In the first millennium BC, the Indo-European Veneti wandered into the present-day Veneto and pushed the resident Euganei into the mountain hills. Brisk trade with the Etruscans and the Greeks helped the Veneti settlers to flourish. Around 300 BC the Roman period began. With their victory against the Etruscans, the Romansfinally conqueredthe Veneto region. Many of the larger settlements such as Verona, Padua, Vicenzaand Trevisowere governed by Roman municipal law, and they became major trading centres in the new Roman province of Venetia et Histria. The capitalof the new province was Aquileia, which is located in today’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region. After the fall of Rome, the area was ruled by the Ostrogoths. During the Great Migration, Veneto was invaded by Visigoths, Huns and Lombards. Many of the frightened people fled intothe marshy lagoons in the delta where they founded the first settlements – the hour of the birth of Venicehad struck. The rise and fall of the Doge Republic With the rise of the Italian city-states, Venice, Verona, Vicenza, Treviso and Padua gained their independence and became powerful economic and trade centres in Veneto. While most of the Venetian cities cooperated with Lombard cities, Venice went its own way,focusing more on the east.After defeating the Dalmatian coast in the 11thcentury, the young Doge Republic rose to a strong sea power. In numerous bloody wars, it expanded its territory throughout the eastern Mediterranean. After the sack of Byzantium, large parts of Greece, including Crete and some regions of Turkey, were part of the Venetian Republic. For two centuries Venicewas the most important trade city in Europe. The rise of the Ottomans in the 14thcentury lead to the slow decline of the Doge Republic. When the Venetians lost many areas in the eastern Mediterranean to the Ottomans, the Doge’s focus turned more towards the mainland around Venice. First Treviso and the Istrian coast were incorporated, in 1404 Verona surrendered, and in 1405 Padua was finally conquered. In the following years the Venetians conquered the rest of today’s Veneto region and occupied cities as far away as Lombardy and Apulia. Only the Austrians, with the help of the French, could put the Venetian expansion efforts to an end in the 16thcentury. With this defeat, the slow phase of decline began, which resulted in the loss of independence in 1815. Veneto from the 19thcentury After a short period as part of the Lombardo-Venetian Cisalpine Republic, Veneto became a dependency of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy, together with Lombardy and Trentino Alto Adige. A long and bloody struggle for independence (Risorgimento)  began, which ended after major battles around Solferino in 1861 in the liberation from foreign rule. In 1861 the Kingdom of Italywas established; it incorporated Veneto in 1866. From Zainoo.com

History of Trentino Originally a Celtic city, Trento was later conquered by the Romans in the first Century BC. In 1027, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Conrad II, created the Prince-Bishop of Trento, who held both temporal and religious powers. Prince bishops ruled Trento until Napoleon conquered the city in 1801. In 1814 Trento was assigned to the Habsburg Empire. Trento became famous for the Council of Trent (1545-1563) which gave rise to the Counter-Reformation. History – The Modern Age During the late 19th Century Trento and Trieste, Italian cities still belonging to the Austrians, became icons of the national unification movement. The nationalist cause led Italy into World War I. The region was greatly affected during the war, and some of its fiercest battles were fought on the surrounding mountains. After the war, Trento and the surrounding region, whose inhabitants are in vast majority Italian-speaking, was given to Italy, where it belongs to date. Eight centuries of Prince-Bishop rulers, relative independence from the rest of Europe and a strong sense of communal fate left a distinctive mark on the city’s culture, which is dominated by a progressive Social-Catholic political orientation. From Enchanting Italy Click here to Join Italian Genealogy on Facebook Purchase Farmers and Nobles by clicking the photo or son Amazon More Ancient history During the Stone age the valleys of what is now Trentino were already inhabited by humans, the main settlements being in the valley of the Adige River, thanks to its milder climate. Research suggests that the first settlers (probably hunters) came from the Padana Plain and the Venetian Prealps, after the first glaciers began melting at the end of the Pleistoceneglaciations. Findings (in particular, burials) from the Mesolithic period have been found in several parts of the province. These include the comuniof Zambana and Mezzocorona. A large area of a hunting-based settlement from the Neolithicperiod has been found near the lakes of Colbricòn, not far from the Rolle Pass. Around 500 BC, the Raetians appeared in the Trentine area, coming from the Central and Eastern Alpsarea. They settled in several valleys and brought new skills on top of the traditional hunting: agriculture (grapes, vegetables, cereals), breeding (ovines, goats, bovines and horses). During the Roman Age, part of the current Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region made up the province of Raetia. This region was totally conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC. The definitive defeat of the Rhaetians, near Bolzano, occurred during the military campaigns in the Alps of Drusus and Tiberius(16-17 BC). Trento became a Roman municipium n the 40s BC. During the reign of Emperor Claudius(41-54 AD) Trentino was integrated in the Imperial roadnet with the construction of the Via Claudia Augusta Padana (from Ostiglia to the Resia Pass) and the Via Augusta Altinate (from Treviso to Trento, passing through the Valsugana). Claudius also issued an Edict, contained in the Tabula clesiana, which extended Roman citizenship to the residents of this region. By the fourth century the area was fully latinisated. Bishopric of Trent The Prince-Bishops of Trent ruled the region from Buonconsiglio Castle since the 13th centuryMain article: Bishopric of Trent During the Late Antiquity, in the 5th century AD, Trentino was invaded several times, from North and East: first by the Ostrogoths, then by the Bavarians and Byzantines and finally by the Lombards. With the latter’s domination an idea of territorial identity of the province began to shape (Tridentinum territorium). In the same century the region became largely Christianized. In 774 Trentino was conquered by the Franks and became part of the Kingdom of Italy, a sometimes vague entity included in what was to become the Holy Roman Empire. The first territorial unity of Trentino dates back to 1027, when emperor Conrad II officially gave the rule of the area to the Bishopric of Trent. This entity survived for some eight centuries and granted Trentino a certain autonomy, first from the Holy Roman Empire and then from the Austrian Empire. Part of Austria In the early 19th century some of the Trentine people participated actively in the resistance, led by the Tyrolean Andreas Hofer, against the French invasion. Trentino (green area) was part of the “Alto Adige Department” under Napoleon Napoleon created in 1810 the Department of Alto Adigethat included most of actual Trentino and the area around Bolzano. It was part of Napoleon’s Kingdom of Italyfor some years. After the end of the Napoleonic era (1815), the Bishopric of Trent was dissolved and Trentino became part of the County of Tyrol, in which the majority of the population was German speaking. Though relatively well administered, and despite the presence of Trentine representatives in the Dietsof Innsbruckand Vienna, in the second half of the 19th century a movement (part of the general movement called Italian irredentism) arose with the aim of annexing all the region (south of the Alps watershed) to the Kingdom of Italy: this, however, was largely put forward by intellectuals like Cesare Battist iand Fabio Filzi, and met some support by the predominantly rural population. Given the area’s strategic importance in the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Italy, the Austro-Hungarians strengthened their troop levels there and fortified the area in the early twentieth century. Under the authority of the Austro-Hungarian chief of staff Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, modern, armored fortifications were built in the areas around Lavarone and Folgaria; their dual purpose was to protect against an Italian attack and to secure the area as a staging ground for an Austrian assault on Northern Italy.[2] After Italy entered the First World War in 1915, the Trentine territory was a main fronts between Italy and Austria-Hungary, and suffered heavy destruction. After the call to arms summoned by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria on July 31, 1914, more than 55,000 Trentini fought for Austria, first against Russia and Serbia  and, starting from 1915, also against Italians. More than 10,000 of them died, and many others were wounded or made prisoners.[3]Further, hundreds of thousands of civilians were forced to abandon their native area when they were too near to the front lines. Many of them, captured by the Italian Army, were later transferred to Southern Italy as colonists. Union to Italy With the Treaty of Saint-Germain(1919), Trentino was united to Italy, together with the new Province of Bolzano/Bozen (South Tyrol), as part of Venezia Tridentina. The centralization process brought on by the Fascistsreduced the autonomy that cities like Trento or Roveretohad enjoyed under the preceding Liberal governments, while many of the smaller comuniwere united, reducing their number from the 366 under the Habsburg to 127. From Wikipedia

 History of Umbria Italy The first two major tribes to share Umbria were the Umbri and the Etruscans. Although the Etruscans have received more press, the Umbri settled the region first, as far back as 1000 BC. The river Tiber (Tevere in Italian) mostly divided the two: Umbri on the east, Etruscan on the west. The Umbri tribe flourished early on in eastern towns such as Spoleto, Gubbio, Città di Castello and Assisi. Etruscans established towns we know today as Perugia, Orvieto and Città della Pieve, eventually creating 12 powerful city-states. Traces of this past can still be seen in the excellent Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell’Umbria in Perugia. Things seriously changed in Umbria around 300 BC. Soldiers from a little upstart village to the south called Romecame knocking. In 295 BC, Rome conquered the Etruscans, and their lands – including Umbria – fell under Roman rule. Despite the legendary Roman plundering and pillaging, things weren’t totally bad. The Romans initiated public works that are still visible to this day. Emperor Gaius Flaminius built the Via Flaminia in 220 BC, a road which connected Rome to Ancona and the Adriatic Sea, and passed through towns such as Narni, Terni, Spoleto and Foligno, all of which are still littered with Roman ruins. A spur ran to Perugia, whose prominence as the capital of Umbria was growing. In 90 BC, Umbrians were granted full Roman citizenship and, for a handful of centuries, the region thrived. After Rome fell, invasions by Saracens, Goths, Lombards, Byzantines and a whole host of barbarians led to an economic and cultural decline. Starvation and disease were rampant. Umbrians retreated to fortified medieval hill towns such as Gubbio and Todi. Conditions were perfect for the new Roman cult of Christianity to flourish. The church of Sant’Angelo in Perugia, built over a former pagan temple around the 5th and 6th centuries AD, is one of Italy’s oldest extant churches outside of Rome. The political-power gap during the Middle Ages was quickly filled by the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto from the 6th to the 13th centuries, until Umbria became a papal territory. Prominent Umbrian families tended to favour rule by either the pope or the Holy Roman Empire, creating a split between Guelphs (papal supporters) and Ghibellines (champions of the emperors). Spoleto and Todi became Ghibelline cities while Perugia and Orvieto, which both benefited initially from Papal rule, became Guelph cities. The remnants of the conflict still dot Umbria today in the form of the rocca, or Papal fortress, examples of which can be seen in Perugia, Assisiand Narni. Note:  I have Guelph and Ghibelline ancestors from the Correggio and Borromeo families shown below. Many important saints (Benedict of Norcia for one, who became the patron of Europe) had put Umbria on the mystical map, but it was in the 13th century when Umbria’s most famous son, born in one of its most famous towns – St Francis of Assisi– cemented Umbria’s reputation as a centre for spirituality, which continues to this day. Historians of Umbrian culture like to say that time stopped in 1540. The pope installed a salt tax, resulting in a Salt War that led to a standstill in Umbrian culture, which means the Renaissance didn’t flourish here like it did in neighbouring Tuscany, but it also preserved the medieval hearts of most Umbrian towns. To this day, Umbria still retains much of its ancient history, and time seems to move a little slower, even for visitors. From the Lonely Planet Join Italian Genealogy Group on Facebook A Brief History of Umbria Posted on 15 November 2018in Italy, Umbria A region which has become increasingly popular amongst tourists year-on-year, Umbria, known as the ‘green heart of Italy’, is a location that captures the true essence of Italian life. Made up of rolling countryside and historic towns and villages, in addition to authentic food and lively culture, it is no surprise that tourists are searching for Umbria villasto explore and learn more about this intriguing region. The Umbrian Tribe Located in central Italy, Umbria gained its name from the Umbri, an ancient tribe of people who settled in the area around the 6thcentury BC. However, this is not the earliest civilisation to settle here, with archaeological proof dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The Umbri tribe flourished early in Italian history, building civilised towns to the east of the region, including Spoleto, Gubbio, Città di Castello and the world-renowned Assisi. Warring Civilisations Whilst the Umbri resided to the east of the river Tevere building up their empire, their rivals the Etruscans to the west established towns such as Perugia and Orvieto and created powerful city-states. The two conflicting tribes came to loggerheads when the Umbri land was invaded by the Etruscan people, forcing the Umbrians from their homes. However, the two opposing tribes joined forces in 295BC in an unsuccessful bid to drive away the powerful Roman Empire who sought to take their lands. The battle was to no prevail, with the citizens of Umbria becoming citizens of Rome in 90BC, although it began a long period of peace in the land that was only disturbed when thriving Roman civilisation was invaded by the Barbarians. The Barbarians brought with them suffering, famine and disease, as well as the economic and cultural decline that spread across the region. This dark time in Umbrian history only came to an end through the introduction of Christianity that had begun to infiltrate every aspect of the culture and improving the quality of life. The Lombard and Papal Era The political power-gap of the Middle Ages was satisfied by the Lombards who created the Duchy of Spoleto from the 6thcentury up until the 13thcentury when Umbria became part of the Papal State. The region was later divided into independent city-states, each thriving and prospering through their business and art, and supportive of their separate rules by either the Pope or the Holy Roman Empire. Saint Francis of Assisi Many important figures and developments have allowed Umbria to be recognised as one of the most important areas of Italy, but perhaps the most famous figure is St Francis of Assisi, who cemented Umbria’s reputation as the core of Italy’s connection to spirituality, something that is still apparent to this day. San Francesco d’Assisi is one of the most venerated religious characters in history, and thousands of pilgrims venture to the majestic town of Assisi to visit the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi and Saint Clare churches. A Hub of Knowledge Umbria is also known for being a hub of knowledge, being the home of one of the oldest universities in the world. Founded in 1308, the University of Perugia is a small university with impressive alumni, including multiple popes and, more recently, the actress Monica Bellucci. The Salt Wars The medieval feel that has been persevered in Umbria is somewhat thanks to the salt tax. While the ceasing salt trade is well documented in neighbouring Tuscany’s culture – often cited as the region local bread does not have salt in it – the issue came to a head in Perugia during 1540. Up to then, the city had enjoyed a certain autonomy, much to the distaste of successive popes following its inclusion into the Papal States. One of the luxuries afforded to the city was tax-free salt, an important product in food preservation. However, a disastrous harvest for the city was followed by the sudden introduction of a salt tax by Pope Paul III, one that defied treaties signed by his predecessors. When the people rebelled the Pope sent troops into the city, forcing a surrender. This effectively ended the autonomy of the city permanently, signalled by the building of the Pauline Fortress, an imposing wall built around the community of which a few ruins can still be seen today. Thankfully, peace and beauty now reside in the sleepy region of Umbria, a stark contrast to its turbulent history. Complete serenity is evident in the quintessential villages, rich history and breathtaking scenery that makes it an incredibly desirable holiday destination to visit. Want to learn more about the region? Discover 10 interesting facts about Umbria! From Essential Italy Purchase my new book direct of on Amazon Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

The history of Molise Italy is important to me, as my 3rd great grandmother Beatrice Capece Piscicelli was the Duchess of Capracotta ( Cooked Sheep ), which lies in Molise. Towards the end of the seventeenth century, the family acquired the fief of Capracotta and King Charles of Bourbon, in October 1674, conferred on Andrea Capece Piscicelli, the title of Duke of Capracotta, a title that several years later, following the inevitable feudal events that saw the continuous alternation of families in the ownership of the feuds, was again granted to the nephew, Giuseppe Capece Piscicelli.The last Duke of Capracotta who carried the surname Capece Piscicelli, was Antonio (+ 1839) who died without heirs. Following the marriage, celebrated in 1804, of his sister Beatrice with Giacomo Piromallo ( My third great grandparents ), the title of Duke of Capracotta moved into this family (for awards obtained in 1887 and 1891), whose descendants, at present, reside in Rome. The Duke of Capracotta possessed many flocks (in 1700 the duke and duchess of Capracotta censored respectively 14.900 and 6.900 sheep) that from the Molise village descended to winter in the Tavoliere fiscal lands.  From 1690 to over 1760, the name of the Duke and Duchess of Capracotta was registered among the major leases of the Customsof Foggia.  The ducal palace was located in the present Stanislaus Falconi square.  This dwelling, however, was never the residence of the family, which used to entrust the administration of its assets to a governor or treasury, normally chosen among the members of the most eminent families of Capracotta.Mariangela de Riso, wife of Duke Carlo, was the only one to stay there, even for short vacation periods, who furnished the interior with many fine pieces of furniture.  Part of the ducal palace was donated by de Riso, along with other assets, to Dr. Diego di guarantee, his administrator at that time.  The remaining part was purchased, in 1854, by Capracottese Stanislao Falconi, who left it to his son Federico.The heirs of the latter, the Greek, sold it to the Municipality of Capracotta which made it the seat of the current Town Hall. Stemma Piromallo Capece Piscicelli Click to Join Italian Genealogy on Facebook Situated on a rocky crest rising between the Carpino and the Sordo rivers, the Italian province of Isernia in the Molise region has one of the oldest recorded histories in Italy. The area of Isernia was settled at least 700,000 years ago and the nearby site known as La Pineta has been cited in Science magazine as the most ancient site where traces of use of fire by humans have been found. The plan of Isernia still reflects the ancient layout of the Roman town, with a central wide street called the cardo maximus still represented by Corso Marcelli, and side streets at right angles on both sides. The area was founded three centuries before the birth of Christ by the Samnites, a warrior tribe of original Italian people that ruled the Abruzzi-Molise region of Italy. The first recorded mention of the area occurs in 295 BCE, at which time it had already fallen into the hands of the Romans. Its name, Aesernia, most likely derives from the Roman word aeser, meaning “water.” Aesernia became a key communication center between southern Italy and the inner Appennine Regions. This colony is again mentioned in 209 BCE as one of the eighteen which remained faithful to Rome at the most trying period of the Second Punic War. During the war the city adhered to the Roman cause, and was gallantly defended against the Samnite general Vettius Scato, by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Yet after a long protracted siege, it was compelled by famine to surrender in 90 BCE. Aesernia was once again restored to glory when it nearly became a colony of Julius Caesar, and again of Augustus. Although it never officially enjoyed the rank of a colony, it appears from inscriptions to have been a municipal town of some importance in the time of Trajan and the Antonines. To this period belong the remains of an aqueduct and a fine Roman bridge, still visible to this day. As if it was plagued from the start, Isernia suffered destruction numerous times in history, as it was destroyed by the Saracens in 800, sacked by the Count of Molise in 1199, and set on fire in 1223 by the soldiers of Frederick II. It was not until 1519 that it was freed from feudal servitude by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and became a city in the Kingdom of Naples. Mother Nature has also taken a toll on Isernia, as earthquakes in 847, 1349, 1456 and 1805 caused massive devastation. Ruin fell upon Isernia once again on the morning of September 10, 1943, during World War II, when bombs were launched over a crowded town on market day causing thousands of deaths. Although having suffered repeated destruction, Isernia preserves a large number of historical remains that are worth a visit. The famous Fontana Fraterna, the town’s main symbol, was built in the 13th century and is made up of stone’s slabs from ruined Roman monuments. The monument is dedicated to Pope Celestine V, a native son. Some other sites of interest are the Palazzo San Francesco, a monumental Gothic construction that now houses the Town Hall, and the Museo Santa Maria delle Monache, on the site of the former Romanesque Convent of Santa Maria Assunta, where prehistoric remains of Paleolithic origin are conserved. The remains were discovered in the neighboring town of La Pineta, an archaeological site of international importance that bears the remains of an ancient Paleolithic settlement from more than 730,000 years ago. The site contains thousands of bones and stone tools and was discovered in 1979 by an amateur naturalist. The site was clearly created by humans, but its purpose is still unknown. Isernia boasts the important shrine of the Santuario della Madonna Addolorata di Castelpetroso, now standing on the site where, in 1888, the Virgin Mary reputedly appeared to two milkmaids. In the Neo-Gothic style, it is made up of seven chapels, representing the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin, that surround the Sanctuary’s centerpiece, a 177-foot high dome. Italian Tribune July 13th 2014

Since my previous post of bride’s photos went over so well, I decided to post Vintage Italian Family Photos.  These photos come from my dad’s family.  I am testing a new feature throughout that allows you to like, share and comment to Facebook from the post.  Please share with your friends that may be interested. My 9th Great Grandfather Prince Marino Caracciolo c 1630.  Prince of Avellino, Duke of Atripalda, Marchese di Sanseverino, Count of Serino and Knight of the Golden Fleece.  Bob Sorrentino I have no titles as of yet. The photos below are new additions. They were sent by my grandmother to her father in Italy c1919. This year I met my dad’s first cousins in Italy and my cousin Nicola found these among his mother’s old photos. To learn more about my research, interesting stories and how to start your research, check out my book “Farmers and Nobles” below. Join Italian Roots And Genealogy On Facebook Click the photo to purchase direct. Or purchase through Amazon Maria Luisa Piromallo My Paternal Grandmother My grandmother descends from two prominent Neapolitan families.  Piromallo and Caracciolo.  She was born in 1883 and lived on Via Carbonara. My great aunt Maria Piromallo, I think with her grandchildren. Luisa in Naples C1900 Luisa in Naples C1905 Sorrentino Family Starting Early 1900’s My grandmother with her three children and her two brothers C1913. These are my two oldest aunts and uncle with I believe their grandparents Achille Sorrentino and Giulia Princi. My grandparents in the USA C1919.  My dad was born in 1923. My dad is in the knickers!  C1934 Mom and Dad wedding C1944 C 1946 Ubaldo Sorrentino and Maria Luisa Piromallo through the years. My Dad through the years Mom’s family ( Nicoletti In the late 1940’s my dad was  photographer for the NY Daily News.  Here are just a few of his photos.   Movies from my Mom’s family C 1949 Italian Brides Research Links Origins of Italian Names