One of my particular topics of interest is immigration to Argentina, particularly Eastern European, Jewish or Italian immigration but also from other countries (Irish, British, or I guess just about anywhere). I’m always interested in reading personal stories of immigration to Argentina.
As I was browsing the bookstores on Corrientes yesterday, I came across a book that is a fascinating history of Italians in Argentina, appropriately named Historia de los italianos en la Argentina.
The book (almost 500 pages) is a scholarly study of the topic by Fernando Devoto, a history professor at the University of Buenos Aires who for more than 25 years has been researching Italian immigration to Argentina. Yet, the book is still very readable and informative for anyone interested in this topic.
The book starts with the early migration under Rosas but focuses on the height of Italian immigration to Argentina in the late 1800s and early 1900s. An entire chapter is devoted to the institutions of the Italians in Argentina, e.g, the mutual associations, hospitals, and clubs. There are numerous short profiles of Italian-Argentine intellectuals, scientists, and professionals that contributed to the development of Argentina. Also, a section covers the role of Italians in the Argentine left, the workers movement, and anarchism. Later chapters cover the period between the two world wars (which includes a section on fascism and Italian communities in Argentina), and the last chapter is from 1945 to the present.
Last night I only had time to browse through the book and read a few sections but I’m really looking forward to reading more of it. As I progress through the book, I’ll post a few bits of relevant commentary to the blog. But if you’re Argentine-Italian or interested in Argentine history, then this is a good book for your collection.
Other posts related to the topic of Italian immigration to Argentina
January 13th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I’m not Argentine but I do have Italian blood in me from my mother’s side. Her mother’s (my grandmother) maiden name was Negroni.
January 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I’m told by friends in Napoli that many of the Italians who emigrated to Buenos Aires were from Napoli.
I’m not sure what was driving people from Napoli at that time but I look forward to hearing more from you about the book…
January 13th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
The following website is devoted to Irish emigration to Latin America and in particular Argentina.
http://www.irlandeses.org
January 13th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Quite a bit of the book contrasts experiences of Italians in Argentina with Italians immigrants in the U.S., particularly New York.
A lot of Italian immigrants to Argentina were from Genoa. One of the things I definitely would like to learn more is about the location of origins. I’ll keep an eye out for Naples in my readings.
That site on Irish coming to Latin America is great, full of information.
January 13th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Many of the italian immigrants who came here to New York were Sicilian. That’s what I was told.
I’ve never met an Argentine Italian but I have met plenty of American Italians and IMO they seem to be different.
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:42 am
My great aunt and uncles went to Argentina from Italy around the 1890’s. I have been trying to find thier families. I have searched the web for this book but it is very hard to find.
Thanks for your site!!!
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I ma an ARGENTINIAN /ITALIANNN!!LOL, my mom’s side comes from Santa Margarita ligure!
I whern to an italian school in Mendoza, Argetnina!
i feel very strong about my roots, i thisnk that’s why argetnianians have a funny laied back accent is sounds a lot like italian!
enjoy the book!
March 26th, 2008 at 8:26 am
I have some ancestors emigrated to Argentina, I am now trying to locate them. Is there any website I can surf in search of surnames and places. Thank you. GRAZIE from Italy (Piemonte)
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I am also trying to find out about my grandparents who emigrated to Argentina (Rosario?)in the early 1890’s. There names were Cristofaro & Rosaria Giacini. They were from Gangi, Sicily and stayed in Argentina about 5-10 years before returning to Sicily. They than emigrated to New York, USA in 1913.
June 27th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Does Argentina have a website like our Ellis Island website that you can search passenger lists? I have been searching for my Great Aunt’s family who came from Partanna Sicily in the 1900’s. Last name Guzzo. Had a brother that went to America named Rosario in 1902.
June 28th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Hi Russ,
You might want to check out this site http://www.cemla.com/busqueda.html that has a database of arrivals at the port of Buenos Aires between 1882-1930. You can search by last name but it doesn’t seem to return much info online. But perhaps the site has further contact info.
Also, the site for the Museo de la Inmigración is worth exploring.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
My father’s oldest brother emigrated from Rimini to Argentina may be in the first-second decade of 1900, but after some years he arrived there he stop to send any letter to his italian family so nobody know when and where he died and if he had a family in Argentina. His name was Antonio NANNI. I would like to receive some informations about him and his family. Many, many thanks in advance.
October 19th, 2008 at 2:55 am
I’m argentinian, I have italian blood. About 85% of the people of my city have italian blood, the most from Sicilia 8like me) and from Napoli, te reason was simple, back then Argentina was a rich and scarse populated country with all it’s future ahead, everything was to be done. Europe was in going to war and famine, and in Italia Argentina was known as a paradise land for them to come, the argentine goverment needed workers for the land as this is a big country mostly sustained by agricultury, so they started trading inmigrants for corn to Italia, as they came here with european techniches for the land farming, they were kinda the slave low race back then, my grandparets came with about 12 years and didn’t know how to read and write, come with, as they say here “nono (granpa in italian), came here with one hand covering him forward and one covering him behind”. The dialect we speak here is the most similiar accent to Napoli’s way of speaking and many of the Argentine slang (lunfardo) terms are italian origin.
Alessandro
October 19th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
@Mauro – I hope that you find some info about your ancestors. Good luck.
@Alessandro – Thanks for your comment.
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
My Italian grandfather immigrated to Buenes Aires in 1949/50 from Villanova, I am trying to find out what happened to him as last contact was in 1950. He was a prisoner of war in Scotland during world war 2 and had a daughter with a local girl, regular correspondance was received until the end of 1950. Any help would be appreciated, thanks Martin
March 20th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I am trying to trace family that settled from Italy to Argentina,They came from San Pietro al Tanagro,Province of Salerno to Argentina probably in early 1900’s or 1890’s.My grandmothers sisters were among them-one was named Serafina.I would be grateful for anyones help/They may have married a Padula Contact me with any info please.
Thanks’
Father Bill Sangiovanni
April 9th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Hey to Mauro Nanni, there is an italo-argentine woman with your last name from Argentina who married an italo-argentinean soccer player (Cannigia) maybe you are related to her lol
anyways im like other millions italian descent argentioneans and very proud of my roots! my great grandparents came to argentina in 1890 from foggia,puglia and napoli, so anybody with my last name who knows of relatives who went to argentina we might be related..if you know any antonio mascia let me know lol, the other last names I am related to are: are Iannantuoni, montagno and bredice.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
great place to fined some one… is face book, is great ,i have italian blood ,and i love it,i born in argentina i find that a a lot of italian inmigrants ,specialy from genoa ,like a big comunnity friends ,and family.from 1880.in mercedez, buenos aires ,brazil ,uruguay.ther are many ways for enybody to look in the web
i am having so much fun .there is a ancestors in the web look for it.ok i am looking for giannoni & defferrari,and i am planning to go and see part of itali . genoa ……i hope i can meet any one from my roots.i wish you all a lot of luck
June 5th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Susana, great idea to use Facebook to search down possibly related kinfolk. Thanks!
June 29th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Io sto srivendo la storia del nome Strongoli,vorrei avere notizie degli emigrati in Argentina e le loro origini. non siamo molti ,penso 150 nel mondo in Argentina poche famiglie ,provenienti da Italia,penso Vibo valenzia o campania.un saluto ed un abbraccio ,attendo notizie Giuseppe
June 29th, 2009 at 4:34 am
ameil strongoligiuseppe@libero.it
July 1st, 2009 at 3:56 am
Im looking for the family of my great grandmother, Carmela Zagami. She left Fiumefreddo, Sicily in 1913 & emigrated to Argentina after the death of her 1st husband. Her 1st child remained in Sicily with family. I am that 1st child’s descendant. She married again in Argentina to someone possibly called Mr Cioffi or similar? Carmela had at least 2 more children. Hoping to locate them or their children to find out more about Carmela’s life and theirs. If anyone has any suggestions for finding them it would be appreciated. Thanks
July 4th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Im trying to research my father in laws Giuseppe Pantaleone family tree. He was born in Lanciano Italy but now lives in Australia. Giuseppe has 2 uncles and 1 aunty that immigrated to Argentina in the 1920s their names are Domenico Pantaleone, Francscio Pantaleone, and Concetta (not sure of married name). I have searched many avenues/passenger list etc but are not getting very far. Can anyone help.
thanks
Lorell
August 18th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Eugenio Rossi Lanzoni was born in Filonica, Italy and immigrated to Argentina about 1900, became a citizen then immigrated to USA. Is there any immigration records in Argentina and ship manifests showing who was on the ships from Italy?
Eugenio had a brother (possibly was Vincenzio) who stayed in Argentina and I would like to find any relations that we have there. How can I find info.
October 13th, 2009 at 11:40 am
My grandfather came from Strongoli, Italy. His brothers I believe settled in Argentina. I would love to connect with someone else who either lives or lived in Strongoli. My Grandmother came from San Nicole Dell Alto… near by.. Any information would be appreciated.
(Mio nonno è venuto da Strongoli, Italia. I suoi fratelli credo costante in Argentina. Mi piacerebbe in contatto con qualcuno che vive o ha vissuto sia a Strongoli. Mia nonna proveniva da San Nicole Dell Alto … vicino .. Qualsiasi informazione sarebbe apprezzato.)
October 18th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Hi there i am Nicholas Guzzo. i am looking for my long lost ansesters and releatives. i am the son the Fiano guzzo who is the son of frank and calorina guzzo. plese help me find my ansesters
November 15th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Un gusto enviar esta nota y aprovecho para felicitarlos por la terea.Soy Aldo Alberto Pandolfi de Leones, Córdoba, Argentina. Mi padre fue un inmigrnate italiano del año 1922 llamado Andino Pandolfi que había nacido en Pollenza, Macerata en el año 1911. Mi abuelo, su padre, fue Enrique Egidio Pandolfi también naciod en Pollenza en 1873;mi abuela Gentilina Sparvole nacida en Macerata en 1879. Mi abuelo materno Pascual Visconti nacido en Macerata en 1882 y mi abuela materna Palmira Mariani nacida en Tolentino en 1884.Para los que se puedan interesar informo que desarrollo un trabajo en blog denominado LOS PANDOLFI EN EL MUNDO, al que se puede ingresar con ese título o el del sitio web http://blogs.clarin.com/la-pagina-personal-de-aldo-pandolfi, urilizando cualquiera de los buscadores. Gracias.-
November 28th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
looking for info re my brothers family he would be over 100 yrs old if by some chance he was still with us his name was giuseppe pepino morena he had a daughter whos name was i think pia i would any possible leads
December 6th, 2009 at 3:06 am
Hi, My great uncle was a famous tenor in Italy in 1930’s and somehow ended up in Buenos Aires where he made more records, and died there in 1973. Any suggestions how to get information? My concern is some suggestion he may have been a facsism sympathizer and went to Buenos Aires during WWII because Peron and Argentina were nazi friendly. Hoping he was not a nazi or Mussolini sympathizer…His name was Emilio Livi.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:52 am
@Lesley: It’s probably difficult to find more info without coming down to Buenos Aires. But here you would probably be able to find info about his recordings and some performances from the local archives.
A lot of Italians emigrated to Argentina during and after World War II. I know some of them personally & can confirm that not all were fascists or Mussolini sympathizers. (Yet, of course, there were a number that were and fascism did receive a welcoming embrace in Argentina.) However, many Italians simply came here for economic reasons: Argentina, at that time, had a much better economy. Plus, Argentina already had a large tradition of Italian immigrants, so Buenos Aires was a very easy place for Italians to fit in. Unless your great uncle was a member of a pro-fascist organization or had written about the topic, then whatever anyone says is mere speculation.
December 10th, 2009 at 1:04 am
Hi all,
I live in Australia and I am trying to find out about my grandfather who emigrated to Argentina (Buenos Aires) around 1929 -1930. His name was Celeste LORA. He was a foreman erecting mausoleums in cemetries – any help would be greatly. appreciated.
Mara
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:30 pm
i’m from argentina living in the u.s. for fourty years. my fathers side of the family immigrated to argentina in the late 1800 to early 1900. last names associated with my family are, mauro,croce,caballo and porporato. most settled near mar chiquita. they were from northern italy, i have to located the name of the town.any of these names sound familiar let me know.
December 29th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Families were often split in the Italian emmigration of the late 1800s and early 1900s. My aunts husband came the the United States, but he had a brother who went to Argentina. The family name was originally Andreano. His real first name was Pellegrino, but he went by Joseph here in the U.S. He came from the town of Molinaro, Benevento, Campania.
January 1st, 2010 at 9:55 am
I am looking for relatives who migrated to argentina from Trieste between 1920 and 1940. Their surname is Zizmond and the family comes form the area around trieste, in particular from Volca Draga.
I would bi interested in any information. thankd you alana
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Interested in Licropani or Cosenza relatives who emigrated to Argentina from Tarsia/Terranova da Sibari (Calabria) circa 1890’s to early 1900’s. Family separated when my grandparents came to the US and siblings/cousins went to Argentina.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 am
I am interested in locating ‘passenger lists’ or any information of displaced people travelling on the “General Black” to South America. The ship departed I believe from Napoli early in 1948 stopped in February of 1948 in Peru and proceeded to Argentina. Would appreciate any information on this voyage, passenger list or any information. Thank you.
February 16th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
I am looking for Giovanni Ziliotto born 26.1.1898 who went to Buenos Aires in the 1930s. From Maserad DEl Piave. He was a chef. He fell in love with a lady who had land and wanted to marry her. She contacted the police in Maserada Sul piave to find out he was married. He was sent back to Italy about 1933.