Community Chat

[sydsgma1]

when Latin was the language of the Catholic Church, pre John xxiii, many children's names were translated into Atin for the certificate and ceremony. You are correct with Aemilium being Emilio. 

[Carmie]

I took four years of HS Latin and I am Catholic and Italian.

Catholic baptisms required that a child be given a name of one of the saints.  Often the priest would substitute a saint's name in lieu of the name the parents wanted to use for the church records. Sometimes the priest just didn't like the name being given to the child and he changed it.

I had two Aunts who had different names on their birth certificates that did not match their baptismal records for this reason.

[RoughDraft]

The nearest translation I can find is that it's Latin for Emilia.

[grandma r]

@Carolm. The name may be a derivative of Aemillus.  From my own family history I know that some names were changed at Baptism or when they arrived in America.  Several great aunts had names that were no where near their given Italian names.  Very possible that Emil or Emilio was derived from his given name.

In some translations Aemillus means rival.  In other lore it was the name of a road from Rome leading to northern Italy.  If you know his birthplace you may be able to write to the local church for clarification. 

Sorry I don't have better info for you.  

[Auntie CC]

If Joseph is in fact his last name it sounds to me like he was an Italian Jew like my familia

[Carolm]

@Carmie - Thank you so much for the information.  I wondered if it had something to do with the Catholic Church.  He and his family were Catholic.  I think I will try contacting the parish in Chicago and speak to one of the priests about it;  I do think your information is correct because no one in his family ever called him Emilio -- his name was Joe or Joseph.  Genealogy is so interesting because I have learned so much that I didn't know about my family.  I really appreciate your assistance.

@Auntie CC  - Joseph was not his last name -- I didn't list his last name.  But thanks for the information -- I love learning new stuff.

[Carolm]

@grandma r Thank you for the information you provided.  I am going to contact the parish to see if they can provide any information, but I have been given a couple of really good leads to my posting.  

[Lilysmom1]

What @Carmie  said is very true.  I am Roman Catholic, went to a Convent for schooling and a Catholic university.  Many times in my mother's generation the priest would change the name on a baptism certificate to a Latin name, often the name of a saint.  The priests were dominant authority figures in those years and many times what they said was final.  S aka Lilysmom 

[grandma r]

@Carolm. If was called Joe, perhaps the name on the certificate is last name 1st.