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                          Vittali, Vitali orVitale?

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The Vittali family in Holland is relatively small. Still, the name is written with a single as well as a double T. Why? Stories, giving a variety of reasons, have been told, though none of them very trustworthy. However there certainly is no easy explanation. Spelling errors by town clerks is one reason and undoubtedly Giovanni Antonio himself has contributed to the confusion. This because he signed official 

records in many different ways. To what extent he commanded the art of reading and writing we do not know.
Paulus Wilhelm (15-2-1891/ 4-2-1975) from the Kerkstraat began to do genealogical research years ago. In letters to his cousin in Australia he claimed that our ancestor Giovanni Antonio was a well-educated man who spoke several languages. How he 

came to this conclusion we do not know because all of his notes disappeared after his death.
PW ( a remarkable man) was, at birth registered by the name of Vittali. We assume that the correct spelling of his name meant a lot to PW because on November the 30th 1961, based on “irrefutable proof” his name was officially changed into Vitali.

What was the “irrefutable proof”? Once again we do not know. Vitali is a pretty common name in Italy and can be found all over the peninsula. To be exact 31576 persons can be found in the white pages of Italy. However the name written with a double T does not exist in Italy. Thus, Vitali is most likely the correct spelling? Not so.The supplements to the marriage certificate of

 Giovanni Antonio and Sophia Pardoen, found in the archives in The Hague, give some interesting answers. Nevertheless, as always, new questions arise.  An extract from the church records in Druogno shows us that Giovanni Antonio was baptized as a son of

This is the oldest document in our possession. Apparently proof that the correct spelling of
  		 our name is neither Vittali nor Vitali but Vitale. Still unanswered questions remain. As was customary, although he was of age, Giovanni needed his parents` permission to marry. Permission was granted in a document written by a notary in Domodossola. In this long-winded document, written in a hopelessly obsolete language, we can read the following i.a. :

”……..who have declared that their son Giovanni Antonio Vitale, now residing in Amsterdam or wherever this will be requested, herby is granted permission to be united in matrimony , be it in a civil or church ceremony with a young lady or widow, whatever may please him……” What puzzles us is the way father Pietro signs the document: 

Pietro Vittali with a double T and a distinct i at the end. Confusion complete.The first name as well as the surname are written with small letters. Based on this we are inclined to surmise that we are dealing with a man who has learned to sign his name  and not much else. Could this be an explanation? The first time we come across the signature of Giovanni Antonio is on his marriage certificate.

. The alderman in The Hague writes i.e. 
 ”………appeared before me Joannes Antonius Vitale... and Sophia Pardoen.….  who have requested us to unite them in matrimony”
Our Giovanni signs the document in the following manner:

What do you think?

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                                I still collect: Pictures, documents, newspaper clippings etc. 
                                         Of cours I`m prepared to reimburse your expences.