With a name like Filippo, it’s no surprise to learn he was born in Żebbug. He may also have been mentioned in an Italian newspaper, if my indications are correct.

He is one of my maternal great-great-great-grandfathers.

He is the son of Teodoro Balzan and Grazia née Vassallo¹.

Teodoro and Grazia had several children, two of whom have Filippo as their baptismal names². It’s hard to say whether the elder one died, or whether either of them was known by a different name. Either way, this means Filippo was born in 1817 or 1820³ in Żebbug, Malta⁴.

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Family

On Tuesday 21 November 1848⁵, he married Calcedonia Aquilina⁶ in the parish church of Żebbug^{7 8}.

Together they had at least 1 child⁹:

• Grazia

Notable events

He lived in Żebbug because his daughter was born there¹⁰. Given his first name, it is probable he was from Żebbug.

He is listed as a Commerciante on his daughter’s wedding certificate¹¹.

On 12 May 1875, the Genoa-based Corriere Mercantile wrote about Maltese village festas¹². It covered the feast of St Philip of Agrippa in the village of Żebbug, noting¹³:

Bellissimi i fuochi d’artificio, opera di F[illippo] Balzan.

(EN: The fireworks are beautiful, made by Filippo Balzan)

It is not clear if this is a reference to my ancestor but it doesn’t seem like there were many other Filippo Balzans living at the time.

Death

He died before 1884, when his daughter married¹⁴.

References

1. Said-Vassallo, C. (2024). The Noble House of Vassallo. [online] Malta Genealogy. Available at: https://maltagenealogy.com/vassallo [Accessed 1 Feb. 2025][↩]
2. Velin, N. (2024a). Maltese baptisms – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/baptisms.html [Accessed 01 Feb. 2025][↩]
3. Velin, N. (2024a). Maltese baptisms – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/baptisms.html [Accessed 01 Feb. 2025][↩]
4. Velin, N. (2024a). Maltese baptisms – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/baptisms.html [Accessed 01 Feb. 2025][↩]
5. Velin, N. (2024b). Marriages in Malta – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/marriages.html[↩]
6. Velin, N. (2024b). Marriages in Malta – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/marriages.html[↩]
7. Velin, N. (2024b). Marriages in Malta – Digital Genealogy. [online] Digital Genealogy. Available at: https://en.geneanum.com/malta/databases/marriages.html[↩]
8. Act of marriage of Giovanni Farrugia and Grazia Balzan. (1884). [online] (948). Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 20 Aug. 2024][↩]
9. Act of marriage of Giovanni Farrugia and Grazia Balzan. (1884). [online] (948). Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 20 Aug. 2024][↩]
10. Act of marriage of Giovanni Farrugia and Grazia Balzan. (1884). [online] (948). Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 20 Aug. 2024][↩]
11. Act of marriage of Giovanni Farrugia and Grazia Balzan. (1884). [online] (948). Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 20 Aug. 2024][↩]
12. Agius, P. (2004). L-Arti tal-Mużika Matul iż-Żmien u l-Festi Tagħna. [online] Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/50958/1/L-arti%20tal-Muzika%20matul%20iz-zmien%20u%20l-festi%20taghna%20%28II%29.pdf [Accessed 1 Feb. 2025][↩]
13. Agius, P. (2004). L-Arti tal-Mużika Matul iż-Żmien u l-Festi Tagħna. [online] Available at: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/50958/1/L-arti%20tal-Muzika%20matul%20iz-zmien%20u%20l-festi%20taghna%20%28II%29.pdf [Accessed 1 Feb. 2025][↩]
14. Act of marriage of Giovanni Farrugia and Grazia Balzan. (1884). [online] (948). Available at: www.certifikati.gov.mt [Accessed 20 Aug. 2024][↩]