I always knew that we had some Italian blood in us but never knew where from until I did the family tree. My mother’s father- Alexander Smith Millar – was Scottish and born in Aberdeen. My cousin Mary told me that his Grandfather was the Italian and that through another descendent she had found out a lot about the Barrazoni family. This post will be about the Italian side of the family.
Thanks to a descendent of the Barazzoni’s that Mary was in contact with, we have his notes on the family which are:
Antonio Barazzoni,
Our Italian Great Great Grandfather
Barazzoni is spelt many ways on different records, so the name can be hard to find. Two examples are Barsoni and Barzazonie. Sometimes the original record is near the correct Italian spelling but transcribers have mistaken the z for a g, for example writing Barargone. In the 1861 census the name seems to be spelt Barzzone but the transcription is Barrison.
Antonio Barazzoni was born some time around or after 1792 in Como, Lombardy, which at that time was part of the Austrian Empire.
Abramo and Antonio’s parents are reported as Joseph Barazzoni, an innkeeper, and Josephina, maiden name Maranaro. I have not yet checked the accuracy of this information which comes from Antonio’s son-in-law (our Great Grandfather) when he registered Antonio’s death.
In 1796, Napoleon arrived in Lombardy so it was under his rule that Antonio’s brother Abramo (Full name Giuseppe Abramo Barazzoni) was born in 1806.
Austrian rule resumed in 1815, and eventually Abramo joined the Austrian Imperial Army in which he served for over 8 years until November 1835.
Abramo married Francesca Tagliasacchi. They had three children and their descendants are now found in France, Italy and London, including the Barazzoni family still living in Como. Abramo died in 1858, the year before Lombardy became part of a unified Italy.
Antonio, however, travelled to Scotland. The Barazzoni family now living in Como knew of Antonio but didn’t know what became of him. There is a tradition that he knew seven languages.
We don’t know exactly when Antonio arrived in Scotland. The earliest record we have for him is his marriage in 1830 in Laurencekirk, a parish in Kincardineshire just south of Aberdeen. For the rest of his life he seems to have lived in Aberdeen city.
We know that Antonio worked with optical glass as he is described in various documents as a looking glass maker, an optician, a glassblower, and a master optician.
FIRST GENERATION
Guiseppe & Guiseppina Barrazone
My Great Great Great Grandfather
Guiseppe was born in 1771 in Como and married Guiseppina Maranaro. Guiseppina was born in 1772. They had two sons:
1/ Antonio Barazzoni was born about 1792 in Como. Antonio was a glass blower and moved to Aberdeen where he married Elizabeth Robertson.
2/ Abramo Barazzoni was born in 1806 in Como, married Francesca Tagliasacchi born in 1815 and died in 1887 in Como. Abramo was in the Austrian army and I have a copy of his discharge papers which state that he served 8 years, 3 months and 20 days. Apparently this was a kind of reference for him for the future. Abramo and Francesca had 3 children:
Antonio born in 1845 and who married Cluadia Camagni and they had 6 children She died in 1908
1/ Luigi in 1874 and who died in 1932 still in Como
2/ Carlo born in 1870 and died in 1963
3/ Guiseppe born in 1881
4/ Anna in 1880 and who died in 1958
5/ Francesca
6/ Adel born in 1880
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SECOND GENERATION
Antonio Barazzoni & Elizabeth nee Robertson
Antonio Barazzoni emigrated to Aberdeen and married Elizabeth Robertson – the daughter of James Robertson and his wife Jean nee Gillander on 27th May 1830 in Laurendekirtk, Kincardine, Scotland. Elizabeth was born in 1809 in Aberdeen.
I found this old record of their marriage
They had the following three children:
1/ Esther born on 4th March 1839 in Aberdeen
2/ Catherine born in 1847
3/ John born about 1840 and who died soon afterwards in Aberdeen
In the Scottish Post Office Directory 1840 1841 Antonio is listed as an optician 23 Lodge Walk, Aberdeen
In the 1841 census he is desctibed as a looking glass maker aged 45 and living with his wife and daughter, Esther
In 1851 they are living at 125 Castlegate, Aberdeen and now have the daughter, Catherine aged 4, Esther aged 12 is a scholar
In 1861 he is living at Longacre, Greyfriars, Aberdeen and without family.
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THIRD GENERATION
ESTHER BARRAZONI AND JAMES STRACHAN MILLAR
Esther was born on 4th March 1839 in Aberdeen and married James Strachan Millar, son of George Millar and Rachel Susanna nee Jamieson on 14th January 1859 in Aberdeen. James was born on 9th January 1827
I have written about Esther and James
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My cousin Elizabeth nee Amphlett and Bunty went to Como and visited some descendants of Abramo Barazzoni. These two photos were taken then and it is quite amazing the similarity between the male descendant and Bunty
One member of the Barazzoni family is now a well known concert pianist
