Good evening,
Please forgive me for speaking in English, I hope it doesn't seem rude.
Firstly, I would like to say well done and thank you for the enormous effort in creating the geneanum website. It is really impressive.
I have been doing my own personal research for the last month (when I have time), and I hope I may find some advice here.
My first question concerns the sources given in the database. For example, if you search for the marriage between Gabriele Debono and Imperia Zarb (1718), it says film 7592 photo 779. I do not understand what 7592 refers to, I cannot find this source or marriage in the Adami collection. Could someone explain to me how I would find this source please? I looked manually in the collection for Lija, but I could not see this marriage. I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
Also, maybe someone here could confirm something. In the archives: Naxxar, MMML7285, page 27, Franciscus Debono. His mother is 'Maria Vincenza Mallia educata ab Agostino Mallia...' Does 'educata ab' mean she was adopted? I believe she was born in Birkirkara, but I have not yet been able to find any births or marriage for her or her father.... I will keep looking!
And finally, on a slightly different topic, has anyone here had any experience or success tracing Maltese records from Egypt?
John
I can't comment about the film number on the geneanum website,On the archive website re; educata ab - I've personally never come across this in the thousands of records I've used on this website, but that may be because you are looking at a later time period then I would normally.
It looks like it's saying educated by - perhaps an uncle took her in, or godfather, it certainly doesn't say daughter of, so perhaps you are right. I don't know whether adoption as we view it today existed then, I would imagine it would be more of a guardianship thing.
And normally they got married in the bride's parish - I took a look at the records back to 1870 in Naxxar and there were two Debono's married but neither were Joseph.
good luck
Hi John
I would also be interested to know how to view the films and photos mentioned on the website.
I have an ancestor, Salvatore Aschiack, who died 10MAY1838 when his child was 9 months old and his wife Vincenza (nee Callus)adopted or took responsibility for educating a Nicolaus Borg who died aged 15 months on 26DEC1840. This was in Birkirkara.
On a different matter the Zurrieq MAT I volume contains funerals 3JAN1568-3JUL1592 and 1JUL1592-7APR1608 and also confirmations in addition to marriages. This may be of interest to some members.
Kind regards
Pat
Thank you both for your replies.
Regarding 'educata ab', I have also not seen this used elsewhere, although I have not read many records in detail. I agree it seems clear that she is not the daughter, but it is interesting that she bears the same name as her guardians.
On the same topic, regarding Joseph Debono, I also cannot find his marriage. I also struggled with his baptism. I think he may have been baptised Paulus. I know he was born around 1850s, and was the son of Francesco and Vincenza Buhagiar. I have found 9 children born to Francesco and Vincenza in Naxxar about this time--no Joseph, however there was a Paulus with Joseph as a middle name...
Eventually I have found some records using the Adami collection (familysearch website), but I find that collection difficult to navigate, and most of the records I browse do not seem to always be in chronological order.
I would be interested in the family trees there, but I think it would be difficult to find what I'm looking for.
Regarding the adoptions you mention in Birkirkara, Pat, are there any records of such adoptions, or is this based on personal knowledge?
Regards,
John
Hi John,Yes, you will find that the Maltese have many given names and unlike us, they dont necessarily call the child by the first given name, it could be any of their given names. So if you have found a child with Joseph as a given name even though it may not be his first, that is him.
Very confusing when researching. I had one family with six sins all who had the first given name of Joannes/Giovanni, that became very difficult when deciding who each marriage belonged to. Sometimes the priest will underline the name the child will be known as on the baptism record but most often this is not done.
Anyway, it sounds like youve found the baptism so good luck in your further research.
I find the geneanum website very helpful in looking up marriages quickly but use the archive website for more detail like finding families and recording full names. The document option on geneanum is also coming in handy as it records wills and marriage contacts for some of the wealthier families
All the best
Rachel
The adoption in Bkara was from the funeral record. I have not come across any official adoption records. But I have seen the occasional marriage record where the adoptive parents are mentioned dont ask me where though as I didnt record them.
re names - I have 3 brothers baptised in St Paul Shipwrecked -
the eldest was baptised Paulus Franciscus Joseph Joannes but the name used in the census was Francis;
the 2nd child was baptised Joseph Franciscus Nicolaus Vincentius and the name in the census was Nicola;
the 3rd child was baptised Michael Joannes Joseph Vincentius but known as Giuseppe in the census.
So with 3 brothers all having Joseph as a baptismal name and my ancestor being a Joseph it was only the census 1774 that helped me get the correct one.
I would be inclined to go with Paulus Joseph Debono as your one!
Regards
Pat
