State vs Church name

Are you looking for an Italian surname? Do you need more information about your family heritage?
This is the right place to start your genealogy search.
Post Reply
Anizio
Elite
Elite
Posts: 454
Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 22:37
Location: Canada

State vs Church name

Post by Anizio »

Hello, I recently got my grandfather's records to help him learn his middle names and in the mean time I thought I'd also grab my grandmother's even though she knew hers.

The only problem is the church and state record give her two different names.
State: Giovanna Vilelma Assunta Lorenzetti
Church: Ioanninna Vilelma Assumpta Lorenzetta, and at the top it says Giannina.

There is no question the first name in both records is different (Giovanna would be Ioanna in latin). Does anyone know why they would be different since surely her parents are the ones who told them what to write?

Also, does this mean she sort of has two names? Giovanna or Giannina? This is very strange to me, I have never encountered it in another person.

Thanks for any help.
TIP: When asking for records from Italy, do NOT ask for an "estratto." ALWAYS ask for a "copia integrale." A photocopy of the original Act will contain more information
User avatar
Robin B Mc
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 162
Joined: 18 Jan 2015, 00:02
Location: CO (PA at heart)
Contact:

Re: State vs Church name

Post by Robin B Mc »

Anizio wrote:Hello, I recently got my grandfather's records to help him learn his middle names and in the mean time I thought I'd also grab my grandmother's even though she knew hers.

The only problem is the church and state record give her two different names.
State: Giovanna Vilelma Assunta Lorenzetti
Church: Ioanninna Vilelma Assumpta Lorenzetta, and at the top it says Giannina.

There is no question the first name in both records is different (Giovanna would be Ioanna in latin).
Yes but Ioanna and Ioanninna strike me as different spellings/variants of the same name anyway - as do Giovanna and Giannina. I would not get too hung up on this - I always find a Latin version of the names in the church records since they were recorded in Latin. I don't think it means she had two names - I have always found that in history, names were a very fluid thing, with no strict spelling or definite variant. Much like how we have nicknames and might alternately be called James one moment and Jim the next moment. I have found one of my ancestors records alternately as Giuseppa and Giuseppina on state records, and Josepha on her baptism record - it doesn't mean she had two or three names, just that they are essentially the same, interchangeable name.
Anizio
Elite
Elite
Posts: 454
Joined: 12 Oct 2014, 22:37
Location: Canada

Re: State vs Church name

Post by Anizio »

They are variants sure, but Giovanni and Giovanna re also variants. over 25,000 people in italy are named Giannina. And her mother was named Nella, technically a variant of another name, but she was just named Nella. Anyway the nickname for Giovanna is Gianna, not Giannina even if that were the case.

We're talking about two official birth documents, not variant spellings over time like Giulia changing to Giuliana. These are different names.

I respect you taking the time to respond, but does anyone else have more academic knowledge or experience with Italian naming?
TIP: When asking for records from Italy, do NOT ask for an "estratto." ALWAYS ask for a "copia integrale." A photocopy of the original Act will contain more information
Post Reply