I recently returned from living overseas in Italy where I learned a lot about the family name and moving patterns within Italy. The name dates back to around 1100 to a merchant family in the Sorrento area in the south of Italy--later branching to Sicily around 1400. The family was also involved in the merchant industry in Venice during the height of the powerful city-state. While I was digging up this information in Europe--I thought to myself that I don't even know my second cousins who I suppose live less than an hour away from me in Boston!!

I am a graduate student in European History and am trying to find my long lost relatives!! My family is of the Boston area and came to America around 1906ish from Messina (Franco Falanga the son of Giuseppe and perhaps his brothers??)!! I hope to find some information on this site.