Fausto Iocchelli
The Iocchelli name (pronounced roughly as “yo-kelly”) is unique. As far as I am aware, it came into existence with my paternal grandfather – Fausto Iocchelli.
Fausto was taken in by an Albi “Parrotta” (Pah-ro-tah) family as a baby or very small child. Very little is known about how the arrangement came to pass – all that is known is that he was very young when he came to live with the Parrotta’s.
A search of worldwide phone directories suggest that there are no Iocchelli’s other than those descending from Fausto. However, there are a number of families in Italy with the surname Iacchelli, including one family living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (where I live). Since it would have been easy to mistake an ‘a’ for an ‘o’ (or vice-versa), one theory is that the Iocchelli’s and Iacchelli’s may have common heritage.
To date, the search to learn more about my Nonno has been unsuccessful. However, much has been learned about my paternal grandmother, Letizia Dardano. Researching my Nonna has revealed a rich history in Albi, Calabria (the birthplace of my father and his siblings). Dardano is a prolific surname in Albi, with roots dating back to the town’s beginnings – one neighborhood even bears the name “Dardanise”.
Not to be left out, my mother’s French-Canadian family is also rich in genealogical history. My grandparents – Annette Houle and Joseph Dupuis – have roots going back to original settlers in Alberta and Canada. I am not investigating my mom’s side because others have done a great deal of research there, and because the Italian side of my family is untouched (other than the work I have done, of course).
So, that’s our story… so far. Welcome to our genealogy website!
Sincerely,
Mark Fausto Iocchelli