Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 11:30:20 -0500
From: Vincent Sgroi <VSGROI@MAIL.NYSED.GOV>
To: Chester@sgroi.com
Subject: SGROI

I have different information on the source of our name.  Note the following from an
Italian Name dictionary"

               From a Name Dictionary:

                             Sgrò:

                             VARIANTI: Sgro, Sgròi e
                             Sgròj, Isgrò.

                             Diffuso con alta frequenza nella Calabria
                             mer. (dove prevale Sgrò e in Sicilia (dove
                             prevalgono Sgroi e Isgrò), ha alla base
                             un antico nome e soprannome formato,
                             in zone di tradizione e anche di lingua
                             neogreca, dal neogreco Sgurós "dai
                             capelli ricciuti, a anelli" (già documentato
                             nel 1115 a Stilo come cognome o
                             secondo nome: "Basíleios Sgurós").

My Italian is poor, but roughly: Sgroi is spread out with high frequency around the bay of Calabria, with Sgroi and Isgro in Sicily, based on a traditional Neo-Greek work Sguros.

The Greek word Sguros means "dai capelli ricciuti, a anelli", or, in English,  "curly hair, like a sheep".   By the way, I'm a very bald 53 years old, but my uncles all had curly hair, and one of my daughters has very curly hair.

My grandfather, Salvatore Sgroi, was also from Linguagrossa (big tongue).  He had sisters by the name of Mary, Carmella, and Josephine.  He passed away in 1962 at the age of 75.  We had a family reunion a couple of years ago for Salvatore's (and his wife Teresa's) descendents, and over 180 people attended.

His father's name was also Salvatore and his mother's name was Dorothy.  I think that Dorothy died in the 1950's in her 90's.

Hope this helps.

Vince

Vincent Sgroi