Hi.  I am English and trying to

Chezangela Image
10/19/2014 - 07:07

Hi.  I am English and trying to trace my Italian family.  My great grandfather was born in Genoa and was called Augustine Favore or Favori. The family name was changed to Fravigar when they came to England.  They made ice cream and sole it on the beach in Skegness. Can anyone help please?ThankyouCheryl

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Cheryl,Familysearch.org has some records for Genoa on-line. Have you been to Genoa? There are cheap flights from England to Genoa and you could go for a few days and experience where your family came from while looking for the records at the comune offices. Italians are very welcoming to people coming back to search for their family roots.

Hi JonnySorry - should have said great great grandfather. - I'm Mary Fravigar's granddaughter. I know you've done a lot of research too. I can't remember now where I found the info but it suggested that the name was likely to have been Favori or Favore which was a Genovese name and that the family may have originated from Argentina originally (apparently Favorii is Argentinian). Just thought I'd try here as seem to have reached a dead end. Love to chat to you sometime as always feel like I need to know who we really are :-)Cheryl

Hi Jonny,Just wondering if you're still on Italy magazine?My dad's Grandma's was Theresa Devoto, who's mum was Mary Anne Fravigar.Do you mind messaging me as my dad is wanting to go to Genoa/Florence soon to trace he's ancestry.ThanksMaria Brown

There are some forae which specialise in genealogy which could also help. Here is one where the information given by Jonny Augustine Fravigar is confirmed http://www.italiangenealogy.com/forum/italian-genealogy/23175 Fraviga or Fravega is an Italian family surname found in the Milanese and Liguria. It originates from the word favregh, which means "fabbro" or silversmith in the local dialect. 

Hi CherylI too am related, my Gandmother Gertrude was Augustine's sister and Augustino or Uncle Auggie as we used to call him was my Godfather, his wife Selena was my Godmother.I would really like to find out more about our family. My uncle Bernard apparently traced the family right back to Genoa and actually went to visit and got as far as the Village where the family lived and then the trail went cold.From what part of the family do you come, sound a bit rude that but not meant to be ! I am just trying to put bits of the family together. I know of Jonnie Fravigar although I am not sure I have met him, more likely to have know his parents. I too am from Skegness and when I re-visit I often take flowers to the grave of my Grandmother and stop by to say high to Augustine, Selena and Fred who are all buried close by.It would be good to hear further from you, I note that Jonnie's email address is shown so I will email him directly and if you want to contact me you can do so at chris.bearman@tiscali.co.uk.RegardsChris