Is it now over? - why am I unable to find these people?

[dixiecricket13]

I am trying to find immigration records for the following people:

1) Josepho Milazzo - born 1846; immigrated either 1881, 1883 or 1886
2) Francesca Milazzo - born approx. 1851; immigrated either 1883 or 1889
3) Bernice/Bernardi/Bene Milazzo - born either 1875 or 1877; immigrated either 1881, 1883, or 1889
4) Saveria/Sarah Milazzo - born 1881; immigrated either 1881, 1883, or 1889

All came through New Orleans. Their US Census records show their surname changed to Miller and provides the differing immigration dates. They either all came together OR the father came first and the family followed several years later.

Any suggestions? Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong?

[Tessa78]

The trouble with early mainfests is that they don't provide much information... Hard sometimes to identify someone as your relative.

Have you seen this manifest?
Giuseppe Milazza, arriving NY (I know you said New Orleans), age 41, arrival 1887.

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
about Guiseppe Milazza
Name: Guiseppe Milazza
Arrival Date: 6 Jun 1887
Birth Year: abt 1846
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Ethnicity/Race­/Nationality: Italian
Place of Origin: Italy
Port of Departure: Naples, Italy
Destination: New York
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Ship Name: Australia

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9307 ... nifest.jpg

T.

[dixiecricket13]

Hi -

I see that the port of Departure is Naples; however he was from Bisacquino. Is it likely that his departure was from Naples instead of Palermo?

-Christina

[dixiecricket13]

Ok I went back and looked at Joseph Milazzo's baptismal record and we was not a Giuseppe; he was a Joseph, which means that the previous manifest is not the correct one, right?

-Christina

[johnnyonthespot]

Ok I went back and looked at Joseph Milazzo's baptismal record and we was not a Giuseppe; he was a Joseph, which means that the previous manifest is not the correct one, right?

-Christina

Where was Joseph/Giuseppe born and where was he baptized?

Are you saying he was baptized in Italy with the name "Joseph"? Boy, that would raise a lot of questions for me...

[dixiecricket13]

He was baptized in Bisacquino. Here is his baptismal record. It does say he was just Joseph, correct?

[johnnyonthespot]

Hmmm... Well, this is not an area I have experience with, but I wonder if the baptismal record is written using the latin versions of names, in which case his Italian name would have been Giuseppe but the church record would be written Yosephus/Yoseph/Joseph.

On the other hand, he was born long before the unification of Italy and long before the introduction of "standard Italian" so who can say?

[dixiecricket13]

I thought it was unusual too. I have come across a mountain of Giuseppe's who later went by Joseph and I have seen Josepho's; so I thought it was uncommon but not unheard of. Since I was able to trace back his lineage, I wasn't concerned but I am totally stumped regarding his wife.

I can find no birth or marriage record and have no idea where she was from. I assume Bisacquino only because they married in Italy and considering the time frame, it seems likely she would have been from the same area.

[dixiecricket13]

Are all immigration records online?

[Saviane]

The baptismal act is in Latin, so the name is Joseph, but he was Giuseppe, son of Bernardo and of Anna Maria Locascio.
He never used is Latin name while in Italy! Every official act would state him as Giuseppe.
The southern part of Italy as Civil Acts starting earlier, so you could just write to the Stato Civile of that town, asking for birth records, marriage records and so on...
For sure, he just translated his name later to English...

The port of departure could also be far away from where the family lived, because the only thing that interested was the cost of the ticket! And both Naples and Palermo are ports of Southern Italy, so it can be the right record.