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Ierardi / Gerardi / Irardi / Mancuso

Replies: 2

Re: Ierardi / Gerardi / Irardi / Mancuso

D. Michael Iradi (View posts)
Posted: 21 Nov 2003 6:09PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi Albert,

Unfortunately, I don't have any info. at present that might be able to help you directly in your specific search, but I would like to make a couple of comments which may help you indirectly;

The fact that the specific family you're researching started out spelled as "Ierardi" in Italy, and transformed to "Ieradi" later on (either already in Italy, or once they immigrated to the States) underscores my belief that Ierardi and Ieradi are one in the same surname, and that Ierardi is the older form of the name (presumably meaning 'Gerardo's son.")

I suspect that those with the surname Ierache/Ierachi actually conpose a different family grouping from ours, whose surname is probably a place name, derived from a Calabrese village. The surname Iradi is an unrelated Basque surname (i.e. Common in and around Venezuela and, of course, northeastern Spain - with the notable exception of the descendants of my grandfather in the USA, and his brother's descendants in Argentina.)

The fact that all (or most) of those with this family name originate from in or around the region of Catanzaro further indicates that these Ierardi/Ieradi families are very likely all related, and that "Gerardo's son" was not simply a surname which sprung up independently around Italy (at least not with that particular spelling beginning with "I.") I have noticed, incidentally, that the majority of Italian surnames which begin with "I" are actually of Calabrese origin, and no doubt are due to the Calabrese dialekt spoken there.

Another person with the surname Ieradi has just this week ordered a discounted $99 DNA scan, to see if he matches mine. I have suspected for a long time that his family is related to my own at least 150 years ago back in Calabria. We'll know within several weeks - it should be very interesting.! Knowing of related cousin branches can greatly aid one in researching one's own Ieradi/Ierardi family back in Italian records/ LDS microfilm, especially if one hits a road block in one's own line.

Also of general interest to anyone of Calabrese origin, is the website just launched this week called the "Calabria DNA Project" at

http://www.calabriadna.com/index.html

Louis (the creator/administrator of that site) has some really neat photos of Calabria and detailed maps of Calabria, and lots of interesting information. Great visuals too. He's planning on adding a lot more cultural, historical, linguistic (and maybe even culinary! - yum! I love Calabrese cooking...) additions to the website in the future too, so check back every once in a while for those additions.

Anyway, I hope some of that can help you, if only in an indirect way, and all those with a Ierardi/Ieradi surname (or any other Calabrese surname for that matter) should visit Louis' website, since he can hook you up with a cut-rate price on Y-chromosome tests (he gets a group discount.)

- Michael
SubjectAuthorDate Posted
weegie13 15 Nov 2003 6:50PM GMT 
D. Michael Iradi 22 Nov 2003 1:09AM GMT 
DMichael_Irad... 7 Jul 2008 6:41PM GMT 
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