Look up help!! Massarotti, Mazzarotti, Masseriti??

[sarahmuller]

Could anyone help? I am stuck with a side of my father’s family. My G. Grandfather was named Edward Bernard Massoritti (not sure if that spelling is correct as have been given several versions) Now I found his wife Mary Agnes Shepherd and the children as some appeared on the 1901 census and the others I knew about. Now here’s where my problem comes in. I tried to look for any other Massorotti’s in census records and found a Bernard Mazzarotti who died in 1881 aged 68 which means he was born around 1813. I also found a Margaret Massarotti that died in 1879 aged 56 and a record of a Margaret Ahern marrying a Bernard Mazzarotti in1863. Ok seems straight forward. Bernard and Margaret could be Edwards Parents (I mean how many Mazzarotti’s were living in Middlesex at that time?) Well here is my problem. I have a photograph of my Great Gran (Mary Agnes) taken in the mid to late 1890s , I was told that the two ladies with her were her mother and Grandmother (the oldest lady was apparently French) but then I was also told that they were all Mazzarotti’s, now that would not make sense as Mary Agnes was a Shepherd. So it could be her in-law’s ie her mother in law and HER mother. But if Margaret Mazzarotti died in 1879 the ages just don’t match up. I know I should get Edward's Birth certificate to see what his parent’s names are but I have a bit of a financial issue with this as I live in South Africa and £7 actually works out more here than in the UK (over half a days pay for me) and I have already spent quite a bit on ‘my little hobby’ also the postal service is incredibly unreliable here and I may have to wait a long time for anything to arrive.
I haven’t been able to find the family on any earlier census’s than the 1901 to see if there is a link between the families and also out of the blue I have found a birth for a Lewis Mazzarotti but no other records so I can’t see where he fits in either. Anyone willing to do look ups for me to see if they can help? I will be eternally grateful. I have spent most of my time and energy on my Father’s Paternal side (Collins) as that was my birth name and am finally getting somewhere with that, and also on my mother's side which proved to be much easier, but I would love to know about the Italian connection and where they all fit in.

[Colin Moretti]

Hello Sarah

Mazzarotti/Massarotti seems to be quite an unusual name in Italy (4 and 68 communes respectively) and it occurs almost as often in France. You can check the surname distribution in both countries; here for Italy http://gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/ and here for France http://www.geopatronyme.com/index.htm.

There is an Anglo-Italian Family History Society (http://www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_371.html), email membership £5 pa) but neither of those variations of the surname appears in the society's databases. You could also try the Anglo-Italian mailing list, open to anyone.

There are several problems with finding Italians in the UK, not least the variation of spelling that occurs with English ears unable to understand the Italian pronunciation. Note too that often women continued to be known by their maiden name after marriage and that frequently Italians gave their surname first so there might be some confusion from that, too, although perhaps less likely with Mazzarotti.

I'll give it some more though and if I find anything I'll post again.

Good luck

Colin

[sarahmuller]

Thanks Colin
I forgot about the Surname first thing and the fact that women often used their maiden name. I went out with an Italian for about 3 years and spent a lot of time in Italy (must be in the Genes) and knew about the pronounciation issues but as I had learnt a little Italian I never thought too much about how others might read or hear the name although I understood why the Zs may have been replaced with Ss. The French connection is interesting though as I was told that the Mazzarotti that originally came over (to avoid conscription into the army apparently) was married to a French woman, although I can find no record of names that seem to fit this scenario. Anyway thanks for your quick reply. I am off to try a few more spellings based on Italian pronounciation.

[Jo Simpsons]

Hi Sarah,
I'm not certain that I am looking at the right family in 1901?
Transcribed as
Norwood Middlesex.
Edward B , 30, A? Cask? Soho london
Mary A 30, Stamford Lins
Joseph E, 1, North ? Southall
Daniel(?) Murphy boarder, 20, Ireland
A family nexdoor
Hugh Shepherd, 62
Mary S, 63.

Theres a possible entry in 1891
RG12/1024 Folio 179 Page 11
Heston Middlesex
Owen Ahern, head, widow, 53, Shoe Maker, Ireland
Edward B Massercy, Nephew, 22, General Labourer, London

Jo:)

[Wirral]

This looks like them in 1871: RG10/350 folio 52 page 16, No 60 New Compton St, St Giles North, St Giles in the Fields, london
Bernard Massarotti head M 49 house painter, Italy [spelt Mafsarotti, fs = ss)
Margaret " wife M 44, Ireland
Bernard " son 2, Middx. St James
Elizabeth " dau 4 Middx. St James
Edward Hearne brother-in-law U 28 brewer (cellarman), Ireland

[sarahmuller]

You guys are stars
Jo,The 1901 is correct. Edward Bernard was married to Mary Agnes Shepherd and her parents were Hugh and Mary Sarah (living next door by the looks of it). The 1891 entry sounds right and has also given me another possible spelling to check up on.
Wirral, The 1871 entry looks right too it answers my question as to whether Margaret and Bernard were Edwards parents. (His name was Edward Bernard so he could have been called Bernard) The ages look about right. Anyway it's given me some more things to work on.
Thank you so much
Sarah