Charlie62 Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 I wonder if anyone can help me? I've been looking into my family history and I know that my great-grandmother came from Constantinople (as it then was) and I always believed that she was Armenian. However I've just found out that her first name was Bellassi. This doesn't sound like an Armenian name and I can't find any reference to its origins. Has anyone ever heard the name? I don't know her maiden name and my great-grandfather was a Greek, also from Constantinople, so the surname is no help. I'd be very grateful if anyone has any suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 I wonder if anyone can help me? I've been looking into my family history and I know that my great-grandmother came from Constantinople (as it then was) and I always believed that she was Armenian. However I've just found out that her first name was Bellassi. This doesn't sound like an Armenian name and I can't find any reference to its origins. Has anyone ever heard the name? I don't know her maiden name and my great-grandfather was a Greek, also from Constantinople, so the surname is no help. I'd be very grateful if anyone has any suggestions.Hi Charlie62, welcome to Hyeforum! In my opinion the name Bellassi sounds a lot more Greek than Armenian. Bella means beautiful in Italian so it could also be connected to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 (edited) Hi Charlie62, welcome to Hyeforum! In my opinion the name Bellassi sounds a lot more Greek than Armenian. Bella means beautiful in Italian so it could also be connected to it.Is that her personal name or her family name?Yervant is right. It is Italian, probably based on "bella" beautiful as in "belladonna". There are several Italian words formed of "bella". Googling will show several entries where "bellasi/bellassi" is a family name, the most famous of them being Guglielmo Bellasi the maker of the Bellasi race car.http://www.wheelsofitaly.com/wiki/images/thumb/b/ba/BELLASI_race_car.jpg/200px-BELLASI_race_car.jpg Edited September 20, 2010 by Arpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie62 Posted September 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 Thank you both for your fast responses. It was her personal name and I agree it does sound Italian, but I am 99% sure she wasn't Italian. I know my grandfather spoke Greek and Armenian as his first languages, but unfortunately he died when my mother was small so I never had the chance to meet him. I guess it will remain a mystery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 Thank you both for your fast responses. It was her personal name and I agree it does sound Italian, but I am 99% sure she wasn't Italian. I know my grandfather spoke Greek and Armenian as his first languages, but unfortunately he died when my mother was small so I never had the chance to meet him. I guess it will remain a mystery!I have met Greek men from Constantinople who had married Armenian women spoke Armenian as well. This could be a good reason for her being an Armenian otherwise why would he learn Armenian, unless he had many close Armenian friends.Any chance that the name "Bellassi" could have been a nick name? Because in Turkish the word "Bela" means trouble meaning that she might have been a trouble maker in a fun way. When someone is the soul of a party, who does create headache in a laughing way, others could call her a bela but all in a funny and comedic way. Of course this explanation is a far fetched word game but who knows, sometimes it's the least expected one is the right answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie62 Posted September 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2010 I had wondered if it was a nick name, but did not know that 'Bela' meant trouble in Turkish. I would like to think that it might be a name for her if she was a bit of a troublemaker (in a fun way)! Thanks for that suggestion and for your help with my question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yervant1 Posted September 21, 2010 Report Share Posted September 21, 2010 I had wondered if it was a nick name, but did not know that 'Bela' meant trouble in Turkish. I would like to think that it might be a name for her if she was a bit of a troublemaker (in a fun way)! Thanks for that suggestion and for your help with my question.You're welcome and hope that you stick around and read the forum and participate in different topics as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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