ETHNIC SETTLERS IN DERBYSHIRE
by Kathryn J. Farrell
taken from The Peak District by Roy Millward and Adrian Robinson
Although archeological remnants provide important evidence for discovering which peoples
settled a particular area, linguistic traces can also help to color in the picture of earlier communities. In the
case of the High Peak District of Derbyshire in which Wirksworth fringes the southeast boundaries, both archeology
and linguistics can aid in producing a time-line of inhabitants. In prehistoric times, circles, mounds and gravesites
indicate an iron age civilization, made up of Celtic tribes, eking out an existence. The river Ecclesbourne, meaning
"stream by a church," seems to offer proof that the area around Wirksworth was already a Christian center
before the arrival of the Romans. At the height of the Roman Empire in England, ca. AD 200, five Roman roads intersected
at the present day Wirksworth Parish Church. From Roman written records, we know that this region had a major lead
mining and smelting industry in place. At this point, the people are mainly a mixture of Celts and Romans.
The next major ingredient into the gene pool came from the Saxon invaders in the 7th century who established the
Kingdom of Mercia in the Derbyshire region. Very likely they were attracted to the area by the mineral wealth and
the need to establish a buffer zone against their enemies of Northumbria. Here we encounter the Saxon place names
that are so rife in Derbyshire. The suffix "-worth" means an enclosure or clearing. Wirksworth, surrounded
by limestone cliffs, had been deforested early on. The suffix "-low" denotes a burial mound. The "-leah"
in Alderwasley signifies a clearing in the wood. Historians know that Matlock (Meslach in Old English) was an Anglo-Saxon
center of government because of the translation "the oak where the moot was held."
Although Viking presence was rare in the High Peak, the village of Kirk Ireton (Hiretune in the Doomsday Book),
probably could very well have been made up of Vikings from Ireland, since the name means "the farm of the
Irishmen." Despite the fact that the Danes only controlled the area for a brief 50 years, being headquartered
at Derby in 874 AD, their influence lasted for centuries. Wapentakes are a form of Danish land division, and the
carucate, a basis of assessment found in the Doomsday Book is likewise Danish.
No one needs to be told about the Norman invasion of 1066 which caused such profound changes to the lives of the
inhabitants of the British Isles. It would come as no surprise, then, to learn that there are Norman architectural
fragments in the north and south transepts of St. Mary’s Church at Wirksworth, estimated to have been constructed
in the 12th century. What may be surprising would be to discover that the bulk of the church dating from the 1300’s
displays a Welsh pattern of construction. Finally, the last major wave of immigration to Derbyshire occurred during
the 17th century when German miners were imported to help with the technical difficulties of mining.
By no means is this brief outline of ethnic groups intended to represent the extent of all peoples who moved into
the Derbyshire area. For instance, there are unmistakably Spanish-sounding names, such as Fernando, found in the
Wirksworth Parish records. Nevertheless, by this introduction to archeological and linguistic evidence, it is hoped
that we may walk away with a better idea of who our ancestors were and hence, who we are.
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ETHNIC ORIGINS OF NAMES IN CALABRIA
by Kathryn J. Farrell
When my father was alive, he liked to boast that he was "pure Italian." Since I have been doing genealogical research, I have come to realize that there is no such thing as "pure" when it comes to ethnicity. As proof, all I have to do is look up the origins of my various family names. A glimpse of some of these names and others taken from the Dizionario dei Cognomi e Soprannomi in Calabria by Gerhard Rohlfs should serve as a perfect illustration.
Calabria, having once been known as Magna Grecia, where Greek was mainly spoken, abounds in names of Greek origin. Mangano is a geographic name found in the Peloponnesos. Iellamo is transposition of the letters of the Greek word "gemello" meaning "twin." Mirarchi denotes a high military rank such as general. Procopi is an Italinaized form of Prokopis. Among the "soprannomi" or second last names often used to distinguish family groups of the same name, Chirico, "priest," is derived from Klerikos.
Another people who settled in large colonies in Southern Italy were the Albanians. The name Schipani, which in Greek means "adz," turns out to be an Albanian family name. Musacchio is a variation on the Albanian Muzaki. Tocci is the name of the village Toci in Albania.
No family history would be complete without at least one name of Norman French origin, introduced into Italy in the 11th and 12th centuries by crusaders who preferred to remain behind. Frequently these names can be identified by the endings -ieri and -ardo/ardi. Thus, my Ranieri ancestors had been called Reynier in France. Bressi had once been Bres. Similarly, Rugiero, spoken in France as Rogier really started out as the Germanic Hrodgari.
Other Germanic names may have come directly from Germany, probably during the reigns of Frederick II and Manfred (1194-1266). Examples are names ending in -berto and -fredo. Names such as Manno could have been a shortened form of Alemanno, the name of one of the tribes invading the Roman empire at the time of its collapse.
The Arabs have also left their stamp on Italian genealogy, especially during their golden
age of colonization during the middle ages. Salatino, a variant of the Egyptian Saladin means "justice of
the faith." Since the Arabs controlled Sicily at one time, the majority of names of Arabic derivation can
be found there, and often translate into descriptive words, such as Modaffier, "victorious," Naimi, "delicate,"
and Mogavero, "warrior."
By the end of the 1300's, Spain had taken possession of the Southernmost part of Italy and the island of Sicily.
Known as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, it is not surprising to find names of Spanish origin. DiCiancio means
the son "of Sancho." Many other names come from places in Spain, such as Alicante, Galizia and Linares.
In fact, many names ending in -es or -ez are likely to be Spanish, such as Ramirez, Consales (Gonzalez) and Martines
(Martinez).
If a part of the world has ever been invaded or colonized (and what area hasn't?), then you are going to find ethnic mixing. Italy, with its long history of conquests and migrations has produced a people with a rich and varied background. To know and understand history is to know and understand our origins. Instead of viewing ourselves as "pure" and exclusive, we really must acknowledge that we are intricately connected to each other in one global genetic community.
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SHIPWRECK!
(Recounting the disasters of the Sirio (1906) and the Ancona
(1915)
Introduction
Shipwreck! That single word evokes all sorts of horrible images and emotions. Yet a goodly
number of our immigrant ancestors braving the Atlantic crossing in the hopes of a better life in the new World
survived just such a catastrophe. In fact, according to family lore, my great grandfather Domenico Badolato from
Montauro, Calabria, Italy nearly lost his life after a shipwreck, clinging to floating debris all night long until
he was finally rescued the next day. This "fact" seems to be the only item all family members agree upon.
The rest of the details are conflicting.
According to Uncle Tony, the incident occurred on a fishing boat in the waters off the coast of his village. Contradicting
him, Aunt Rose asserts that Domenico was heading toward Argentina when the disaster struck.. No, says Uncle Dick,
he was booked on a steamship to New York at the beginning of W.W.I, when a German U-boat torpedoed the liner. Cousin
Frank only remembers that during that long, frightening night, Domenico courageously tried to keep a woman from
drowning, but had to let go when his strength gave out. Adding to this, Cousin Teresa recalls her father mentioning
a porpoise who swam to him and propelled him closer to shore. Although everyone denies ever saying so, I could
swear that someone told me his oldest son Giuseppe was on the fated voyage and drowned.
Believing that my great grandfather really did talk about a true shipwreck adventure, I decided to investigate
the reports of the innumerable disasters at sea to see if I could find facts that matched the information I had
gathered from relatives. Two possible candidates were identified. The earlier episode involved the Sirio,
a 2,401 ton Italian steamship destined for Montevideo and Buenos Aires which struck the rocks off Cartagena, Spain
on August 4, 1906. Out of the 800 passengers on board, 442 men, women and children drowned. Corresponding with
the war-time story, the Ancona, an 8,210 ton Italian steamship departing Naples for New York was torpedoed
off Cape Carbonara, Sardinia on November 8, 1915 with 160 crew members and 422 passengers on board.
As reported in the New York Times the day following the August 4 tragedy, the Captain had erringly steered
the ship too close to the rocky Hormigas Islands in an effort to save time. Immediately after the impact, terrified
passengers surged towards the life boats, trampling many to death, while others jumped overboard in panic without
life vests. Shamefully, many of the Italian men pulled knives and fought their way to the life boats, pushing aside
women and children and wounding or even killing crewmen and passengers who tried to stop them. They even went so
far as to order people out of the life boats as they commandeered them. Unable to control the pandemonium on board,
the captain put a bullet through his head. Unfortunately, this desperate act only caused increased chaos. Later
it was believed that more people died as a result of the panic than from the collision itself.
Meanwhile, heroic efforts were underway to rescue the passengers. Many fishermen rowing out to save people were
drowned themselves when the disaster victims swamped their fishing boats trying to get aboard. The Bishop of Sao
Paulo, Brazil went down with the ship as he was blessing the drowning. In one heart-rending account, one mother
being rowed toward shore helplessly watched in horror as her three children, still clutching the mast, went under.
Fortunately, Joven Mighel, the captain of a large fishing trawler, managed to pull alongside the sinking Sirio
and coerced his crew at gunpoint to take on the remaining 500 or so passengers at the risk of capsizing his own
vessel. In turn, he forced the terrified people into his hold at the point of his revolver to prevent just such
a calamity.
Safely on shore, the survivors were sheltered in circus buildings and a poor house in Cape Palos, Spain. Children
orphaned in the disaster were taken to a foundling asylum. People had lost everything—money, food and clothing
and were in desperate need. Thus ends the newspaper account, with assurances that the Spanish government has promised
to take every possible measure for the relief of the stricken passengers.
No less horror filled was the sinking of the Ancona, a popular Italian-American liner, which had been making
frequent trips between Naples and New York since it had been launched from Glasgow in 1908. Beginning in 1915,
German U-boats were lurking in the Mediterranean with the intention of attacking allied war ships transporting
troops and munitions to the European front. However, according to ship manifests, when the Ancona left Naples on
Saturday November 6, 1915 to make a brief stop at Messina, Sicily, she was carrying no guns or munitions. On board
were mostly women and children immigrants along with 83 first class passengers and 12 barrels of gold coins.
At 1:00 p. m. off the coast of Cape Carbonara, Sardinia, Captain Massardo spotted two white turrets and four guns
from which flew a German flag, which was lowered and quickly replaced by an Austrian flag. Sensing danger, the
captain ordered the ship full steam ahead. What happened next depends upon who was telling the story. In testimony
given by the captain, the submarine fired a warning shot, at which point the captain immediately stopped his vessel.
In spite of his compliance, the U-boat expelled two shots striking the Ancona both forward and aft. As the
Ancona radioed for help, an explosion resulted causing the liner to begin to sink rapidly before any life
boats could be lowered. Later, German authorities would claim that the reason why the submarine attacked was precisely
because the Ancona refused to stop.
Whatever the rationale, no one disputed the dire consequences. While women sank to their knees in prayers, children
ran screaming on deck, and panicking passengers rushed for the life boats or jumped overboard, the U-boat relentlessly
shelled the sinking vessel for one and a half hours, creating as much terror as possible. Several people on deck
were thus killed as well as one man, one woman and two children in a life boat. Similar to the wreck of the Sirio,
panic was responsible for more deaths than the sinking of the ship itself. Many of the lifeboats were overturned,
preventing people from getting in. As people scrambled for safety, many drowning in the attempt, eyewitness accounts
describe the crew of the submarine jeering and gesticulating derisively. Darkness soon made rescue difficult. Many
people were not picked up until the next morning.
For four straight days the New York Times published detailed descriptions and analyses of the event. Reaction
of the American public was outrage. In fact, some political commentators signaled this ignominious episode as an
act of retaliation against Italy for having recently entered the war. Afterwards, the sinking of civilian passenger
liners by German U-boats would become commonplace, barely getting a paragraph in the newspapers.
Because so many residents of the States had relatives on board, the Times published long lists of the names
of survivors. At last count, the number was 370. Before everyone could be accounted for, however, the Times
(and perhaps the readership as well) lost interest in the story. As is always the case, something new captured
the headlines.
List of Ancona surviving passengers published in the New York Times 12 November 1915
Accardo, Giuseppe | Dattori, Nicola | Iannotti, Giuseppa | Reali, Annina |
Acquarulo, Luca | D'Aversa, Francesco | Irsa, Gannaro | Reali, Figgio |
Adreatta, Luigi | D'Aversa, Luigi | Rega, Carlo | |
Aurelio, Giuseppe | DaVerso, Lorenzo | Lacana, Andres | Rendano, Michele |
Allotta, Giuseppe | De Biasi, Italo | Lamberti Assunta | Riberia, Liberta |
Altizio, Mauro | De Francesco, Grazia | Langella, Michele | Ricciotti, Francesco |
Amati, Santa | De Francesco, Salvatore | Lenta, Ciro | Ridolfi, Antonio |
Araccioni, Cristina | Delgato, Rosa | Lombardo, Pasquale | Rima, Felice |
Araccione, Giulia | Delgatto, Venezia | Londa, Brunilde | Rocco, Giuseppe |
Azzaglini, Itarlone | Del Guidice, Michele | Rosselli, Giovanni | |
De Luca, Cristina | Malinconio, Angelo | Rosetti, Maria | |
Bacciocchi, Roberto | De Luca, Francesco | Marino, Pietro | Ruggeri, Martino |
Baglivi, Emilio | De Luca, Maria | Marra, Natale | Ruggero, Francesco |
Balenti, Pacmanonto | De Pietro,Giovanni | Marricelli, Angelino | Ruggiero, Michele |
Balsamo, Aniello | De Popolo, Calogero | Martini, Giovanni | Russa, Antonio |
Basso, Antonio | De Rosa, Silvia | Martini, Luigi | |
Belli, Ludovico | Desimone, Maria | Mazzrulli, Clelia | Salomone, Alfonso |
Belli, Pietro | De Simone, Rosa | Mazzrulli, Emma | Sammarco, Giovanni |
Berardi, Bartolo | Di Cesare, Giovanni | Mazzrulli, Giuseppe | Sannino, Salvatore |
Biaco, Luigi | Di Glin, Madallena | Meli, Gaspare | Santo, Catone |
Brescia, Nicola | Di Giacomo, Francesco | Merci, Luigi | Santo, Giuseppe |
Buffaletti, Brunhilda | Di Gueri, Adelaide | Mersier, Rosa & 3 children | Sanucci, Pasquale |
Buffaletti, Giovanni | Di Gueri, Albertina | Miglicacchio, Michele | Saverio, Angelo |
Buffaletti, Linda | Diliberto, Antonio | Milo, Maria | Scarso, Carmela |
Buffaletti, Luigi | Milza, Giovina | Scettro, Vincenzo | |
Buffaletti, Luisa | Esposito, Pasquale | Scugli, Raimondo | |
Orlandini, Vittoria | Serra. Persano | ||
Caciamo, Giuseppina | Fabiani, Giovanni | Sintoni, Pietro | |
Cafasso, Annina & 2 sisters | Farina, Donato | Palomba, Anniello | Sitoni, Michele |
Camara, Giulia | Felici, Eusebio | Panico, Michele | Solimeni, Carrado |
Canelli, Nicola | Ficarra, Domenico | Panico, Pellegrino | Sorrentino, Salvatore |
Capelli, Giulia & 2 sons | Filberti, Adelaide | Pappalezo, Salvatore | Speranza, Giulia |
Carboni, Giulio | Finizio, Domenico | Parella, Vincenzo | Stellato, Francesco |
Carico, Giovanni | Forli, Oscar | Parietta, Annina | Strati, Teodoro |
Castelli, Giovanni & 1 child | Forinicano, Michele | Paroletti, Francesco | |
Castello, Jolanda | Pasquel, Alissandro | Tacoli, Gaetano | |
Cavallo, Grazio | Garofalo, Anniello | Passuto, Angela & daughter | Tialone, Adelina & child |
Cavallo, Lodovico | Garofalo, Gina | Patrulli, Gaetano | Tombono, Domenico |
Cincotta, Antonio | Gentili, Antonio | Pellegrino, Francesco | Torrisi, Giuseppe |
Circo, Raimondo | Gironi, Francesca | Perazzetti, Luigi | |
Contras, Giuseppe | Grazianelli, Mauro | Petrella, Giovanni | Ventimiglia, Annina |
Corete, Raffaele | Grazianello, Nicola | Piscione, Alberto | Vico, Carolina & 1 child |
Greil, Cecile L. | Puglisi, Assunta | Vincenza, Maria | |
D'Antonio, Peppina | Groakehino, Michele | Viola, Lorenzo & Vittoria | |
Dattori, Giovanni | Reale, Agostino | Vossineo, Giovanni |
Vranobile, Antonio |