I'm going to study abroad in Italy next year so now I'm interested in tracing my origins. I only got as far as what country they were from on ancestry.com. I have no idea where to search next. Any suggestions? Or maybe someone knows where the name is from? Thanks guys!
2007-04-14 22:00:33 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Genealogy
A lot of this info was extremely helpful. Thank you for all the links and info. Now I see I'll have to contact the Jersey City court b/c my GG grandfather was naturalized in 1892. Thanks so much everyone!
2007-04-17 17:09:44 · update #1
Fontana (fountain) is a completely generic name throughout Italy and not tied to one particular region (Fontanilla is a lost lead...totally unrelated)
If you want to find the hometown of your ancestors, trace them back. Find the passenger list for your immigrant ancestor or a census record showing you the year of arrival in the US. If that year is after 1900 then you're in great shape. You get the date of birth and fullest name you can find for that person, then get the Declaration of Intent and Naturalization petition from the National Archives for that person. It will tell you the town of their birth in Italy. If they arrived before 1900 or never became an American citizen, then you work with the passenger list to find the port they left to come to the US (probably Naples or Trieste) and then search microfilms for the exit visa from that town to find the town of birth. Go from there.
You'd also do well to pull your immigrant ancestor's death certificate and obituary to see what's mentioned in there about Italy and family left over there.
2007-04-15 00:54:54 · answer #1 · answered by GenevievesMom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey Chef Jennifer,
Here are some web sites for Italy, with a little surfing on them you should be able to learn a lot about Italy, and the Fontana name.
2007-04-15 07:22:40 · answer #2 · answered by BuyTheSeaProperty 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are 3303 people named Fontana on the Ellis Island records site. If you put in the full name you're looking for, I believe there is a good chance you'll find it listed.
Many cities are listed, some of the cities are:
Modena, Tivola, Novara, Aulta, Sicily, Segni, Veroli...
2007-04-15 21:48:01 · answer #3 · answered by N. 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try to locate and investigate the old province of italy.... you surname comes from a related surnames of Fontana or Fontanilla... these are probably the people who live along the Fontanillas of the country long before the ancient times. or maybe the artisans who built the plazzas and ancient parks of the country.
2007-04-15 05:49:10 · answer #4 · answered by micalovadinnerdevanne 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I haven't links to give you, but I agree with the ones saying to you that Fontana (Fountain) it's one of the Italian last names very numerous. It's a pan-Italian last name.
Italiano D.O.C.
2007-04-15 20:16:38 · answer #5 · answered by ombra mattutina 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What I can tell you is Fontana, although common all around Italy, is by large more common in Lombardy: http://www.gens.labo.net/it/cognomi/
2007-04-15 09:41:54 · answer #6 · answered by Pinguino 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know whether the link I've posted will be of any help to you
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/Fact.aspx?&fid=10&ln=fontana&fn=
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/Fact.aspx?&fid=5&fn=&ln=fontana.
2007-04-15 13:07:14 · answer #7 · answered by itsjustme 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋