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Corsican immigration to Puerto Rico

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In the 19th century hundreds of Corsicans left their families and homeland, the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, and immigrated to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico.


Situation in 19th Century Corsica

Corsica is an island located west of Italy and southeast of France. Corsica belonged to the Republic of Genoa (before Genoa became part of Italy) and in 1768 was ceded to France as a pay off of a debt. The island relied largely on it's agricultural economy for survival.

Certain changes occured in Europe during the end of the 18th century and begining of the 19th century that would greatly affect the lives of the French and the people of Corsica. One of those changes came about with the advent of the Second Industrial Revolution. With the Second Industrial Revolution, many of the people who worked in agriculture began to move to the larger cities with hopes of finding better jobs and better lives. Also, there was a wide spread crop failure due to long periods of drought and crop diseases (e.g., the phyiloxera epidemic destroyed the Corsican wine industry), cholera epidemio and a general deterioration of economic conditions. Thus, many of the farms in Corsica began to fail.

There was also widespread political discontent characterized by bitter armed conflict. King Louis-Philippe of France was overthrown in the Revolution of 1848 and a republic was declared with a Provisional Government. Three new political groups emerged during that era, they were the liberals, radicals and the socialists. The combination of man-made and natural disasters in Corsica created an acute feeling of hopelessness.

All this came about at a time when Spain was growing fearful of the possibility of a rebellion in her Caribbean possessions, which were Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Spanish Royal Decree of Graces

By 1850, Spain had lost the entirety of her territories in South America and Central America and sought measures of preventing a repeat of this in the Caribbean. It was decided that an influx of Catholic immigrants from Ireland, Corsica and Italy would provide a loyal base for the Crown and appeals were made to encourage immigration. In 1815, the Spanish Crown had issued the Spanish Royal Decree of Graces (Real Cedula de Gracias) which fostered the immigration of Catholics of non-Hispanic origin to the Caribbean Colonies in the New World.

The island of Puerto Rico is very similar in climate and geography to the island of Corsica and therefore appealed to the many Corsicans who wanted to start a "new" life. Under the Spanish Royal Decree of Graces, the Corsicans and other immigrants were initially given a letter of Domicile after swearing loyalty to the Spanish King and allegiance to the Catholic Church. After five years they could request a letter of Naturalization that would make them Spanish subjects.

Influence in Puerto Rico's Coffee Industry

Hundreds of Corsicans and their families, immigrated to Puerto Rico in the 1850's and settled in the southwestern region of the island, primary in the towns of Yauco, Guayanilla and Guanica. However, it was Yauco, whose rich agricultural area attracted the majority of the Corsican settlers. The three main crops in Yauco were coffee, sugar cane and tobacco. The new settlers dedicated themselves to the cultivation of these crops and within a short period of time some were even able to own and operate their own grocery stores. However, it was with the cultivation of the coffee bean that they would make their fortunes. By the 1860's the Corsican settlers were the leaders of the coffee industry in Puerto Rico and seven out of ten coffee plantations were owned by Corsicans.

The Mariani family of Yauco decided on two courses of action which would strengthen their coffee industry. First, a cotton gin was converted into a machine which was used in dehusking coffee cherries. Second, they sent two of their own as representatives to visit the important European coffee buying centers. The visit to Europe was a success and thus, Puerto Rico became an important member of the worldwide coffee industry.

The descendents of the Corsican settlers were also to become influential in the fields of education, literature and journalism. Historian, Colonel Hector A. Negroni, (USAF-Retired), researched the Corsican-Puerto Rican connection and has provided with his work a wealth of information about the Puerto Rico's ties with Corsica. Today the town of Yauco is known as both the "Corsican Town" and "The Coffee Town". The Corsican element of Puerto Rico is very much in evidence. Corsican surnames such as Paoli, Negroni and Fraticelli are common.

Common Corsican Surnames in Puerto Rico

This is a small list of the common Corsican surnames in Puerto Rico, Adriani, Agostini, Alfonsi, Altieri, Anciani, Angitucci, Annoni, Arpani, Antongiorgi, Antonsanti, Barbari, Bartoli, Bartolomei, Benedetti, Belgodere, Bettolace, Biaggi, Benvenutti. Blasini, Boccheciamp, Boneli, Cesari, Dominicci, Damiani, Emmanuelli, Farinacci, Francheschi, Fraticelli, Galletti, Giuseppi, Grimaldi, Luchessi, Mariani, Massei, Mattei, Modesti, Molinari, Muratti, Negroni, Palmieri, Paoli, Piazza, Pietri, Piovanetti, Romani, Santini, Santori, Tomassi, Torre, Tottie, Vicenti and Vivaldi.

Distinguished "Yaucano(a)s" of Corsican Descent

  • Francisco Negroni Mattei (1897-1939), poet, journalist\
  • Andres Mattei (1863-1925), poet, journalist
  • Pedro Domingo Mariani (1880-1925), poet, journalist
  • Amelia Agostini del Rio (1896-1996), antologist, poet
  • Jose A. Franquiz (1906-1967), poet
  • Jose A. Masini, Department of the Lands Director
  • Amelia Agostini, educator, professor in Columbia University
  • Santiago Negroni, journalist, educator and poet
  • Jose Antonio Giovanetti, educator, poet

Famous Puerto Ricans with Corsican surnames

See also

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