Ancestors with Hyphenated Name: Capuozzo-Capozzi

[TriciaFierro]

Hello! I have come across some ancestors with a hyphenated surname of Capuozzo-Capozzi and it was the first time I came across a hyphenated surname. When doing a search I did find this same name in Italy directory's and in other genealogical lines as well. With so much experience on this forum I was just curious to know if any of you have seen a lot of this or if maybe there was a reason for the hyphenation of surnames? They hail from Montecalvo Irpino, Avellino, Campania region. Look forward to your always enlightening replies!

[PippoM]

Did you find any "official" document with such hyphenated surname?
Your example seems to be just the representation of two spellings of a surname (its dialectal (Capuozzo) and italian version (Capozzi)) that in time may become two different surnames, but are the same as to origin. Anyway, I've never found such a representation, for instance, in church registers. It is very common that surnames go under such evolutions, especially in southern Italy. Also my surname has two versions: Moccaldi and Muccardi that nowadays are present in different but next areas, but probably have the same origin.

[adelfio]

The only time I have seen that is in the states on a death record in Cook County Chicago showing the name was changed over the years

Marty

[TriciaFierro]

Thank you both. I haven't seen it hyphenated in a record but hyphenated in the transcription of Italian records. I do have access to the person that transcribed the originals so he should be able to tell me if it was in fact an evoution of the name. I thought it strange that they were so similar yet hyphenated as well. Thanks again!

[donnawright]

I have a similar experience to share with you. I obtained my grandfather's birth record extract from his town of origin in Calabria and it showed TWO surnames -- not hyphenated, but a double surname. His father (my GGF) was born out of wedlock and 24 years later just prior to his marriage, his natural father "recognized" him officially and thus he was called by both surnames. Subsequently my grandfather was born and he and all the other children of that marriage were given the double surname too. My GF emigrated to America early 1900's and in everything I see about him, he dropped the natural father's name. He had 6 children (one was my mother), and there are no double surnames for any of them. It was a surprise to find the double surname. None of us knew and my mother never mentioned it; perhaps she didn't know either.

[TriciaFierro]

Isn't it interesting what this work of ours uncovers?
Just this morning my father sent me a picture and written on the back it said "Stella's brother". Stella was my great-great-grandmother who was also an abandoned baby according to her birth record. Her marriage record also noted no parents. So, was this the son of the wet nurse that her brth record noted took her in and she considered him a "brother" OR did she at some point find her birth family and this was in fact her real brother OR did someone make a mistake writing on the picture that it was her brother? LOL! The possibilities are endless but it sure is fun trying to get to the bottom of it!
Good luck to you in your continued search!

[Theprofessor]

Greetings, I'm researching this surname as well, notably a few individuals from the 19th century from Napoli with the surname Capuozzo and learned that it was dialect for Capozzi which is how the individuals I'm researching show up in additional records.