Was Italian now British?

[maggiehill]

My ancestor John Lando is on various Scottish Census “Where Born” as, Genoa Italy, Genoa (Nat British subject), Genoa (British Subject) and finally on the 1911 Census as born Italy, British Subject by Parentage.
Until 1985 a person was considered a British subject if the father had been born on British soil. In 1985 this changed to include the mother as well. I have been looking for Lando’s who came from Britain and could have worked abroad.

The family story is that John Lando came from Genoa Italy by stowing away on a ship in 1850 at the age of 14. The reason he left was that there was a vendetta against the family so John Lando’s father put his son on a ship and he ended up in Biggar, Scotland. John’s father was supposed to be a Petty Officer in the Italian Navy. I have found 3 Captain Lando’s the only one born in Genoa is a Giovanni born 1833 and died 1873 he could be the brother of my John Lando but John is Giovanni in Italy, so did John change his Christian name?

The only birth overseas I have found is on the GRO Army Chaplains Birth Indices (1796 to 1880) for a John Lando, born 1831 in Trinidad, West Indies. His father was possibly a John Lando born in Passa, Africa who was discharged from the 3rd West India Reg of Foot in 1852.

What other records can I search to find my elusive ancestor?

[Elwyn 1]

It has never been mandatory to register a birth to a British subject overseas, and record keeping only started in 1849, so John’s birth won’t appear in the registers of overseas births. The only exception is if he was born to someone serving in the British army (which doesn’t appear to be the case from what you have said). His birth might however appear in the local Italian records, if they go back that far. Not sure how you do that. (Of course Italy didn’t exist then, only being created in 1861. I think Genoa would have been in the state of Piedmont-Sardinia at the time of John’s birth, but could be wrong. So whoever John’s father was in 1836, he wasn’t serving in the Italian navy as such, since that didn’t exist then).

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certi ... erseas.asp

[maggiehill]

Thanks Elwyn

Going by our family story from different cousins he stowed away on a ship thats why I have searched Merchant Navy Records (with lots of help from people on this site). The family story may be a red herring. John died in 1917 at the age of 87 with no parents names on the death certificate.
I have tried some Italian Sites includine a Genoa Forum with no luck.

I have been searching the English Records and trying to trace some of them to see their history but many just dissapear. One of the biggest problems I have found is that many John Sands are wronly transcribed as John Lando. As an earlier topic I placed on this Site I still wonder why he ended up in Biggar aged 14. I know there were other Italians in Biggar at the time but cannot find any connection.

I will keep on searching

[Currie]

Hello Maggie,

Ancestry Magazine in 2001 had an article on researching Italian ancestors. Maybe it would be worth a read.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=Yiy ... kC&pg=PA35

All the best,
Alan

[maggiehill]

Thanks Alan

The link is very interesting I will keep on searching.
At the moment I am searching for James Lando as this may be his fathers name. Originally I thought that none of my John's names were Italian but now I been looking at the naming pattern. The first child was named James I have always assumed that he was named after Margaret Finlaysons grandfather but I am not sure now.
I have found a Reverent James Lando mentioned in an article about the History of Fleet Marriages, I wonder if any connection?

One of John and Margaret Lando's children was named Elizabeth Cameron McKenzie Lando none of her names are associated with the family, I wonder if these may be fron John's family.

Regards
Maggie