THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Not the same thing but Massimo Ciancimino said Matteo Messina Denaro tries to hide his Sicilian background by speaking Italian to everybody.

The Costello surname has roots in both Ireland and Italy:

https://www.houseofnames.com/costello-f ... st/Italian

Pat Marcy.

Frankie Yale.....

Italians and Irish were the original "word I can't use on this site" of America.


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John 'John King' Angersola and his brothers from Cleveland also Bobby Doyle from NYC. A lot more guys did it.


This was done to fit in and to be considered an American at a time when Italians were looked down upon because of their heritage. Sometimes families simply dropped the vowel off the end of their surname. It helped getting jobs apartments and in all sorts of ways when Italians were at the lowest rung of society.

Many in Chicago did and still do go by Irish last names because of how entrenched the Irish are in politics here.

Costello is an Irish name. You are correct on Aiuppa using the name O'Brien.


Pogo

Just remembered another one: Serafino Sinatra, a hitman from Toledo, was always called Joseph "Wop" English.
And correct me if I am wrong: didn't Aiuppa call himself O'Brien for a certain period?

Pogo The Clown wrote:Francisco Castiglia to Frank Costello is another one.


Pogo

But isn't Costello an Italian name too? Maybe a misspelled "Castello" which means "castle".

Chuckie English

Francisco Castiglia to Frank Costello is another one.


Pogo

I noticed some mafiosi, even high ranking, changed not only their first names to English ones, but even modified their surnames so you wouldn't guess they are Italian; that's weird in my opinion: I thought Cosa Nostra and other Italian organized crime members are proud of their Italian origins; but look example at these ones:

Domenico Bruccoleri -> Dominic Brooklier
Rosario Borgia -> Russell Burg (used only sometimes in newspapers though)
Giovanni Scalise -> John Scalish
Paolo Vaccarelli -> Paul Kelly

Any other examples?
Changing first name I understand, but why change the last name if the secret society you belong to depends in great part on cultural traditions originating in Italy? Especially considering that all those I listed were bosses.