96 memorials, 1844–2024

Where the Name Is Cut in Stone

Every grave recorded under any spelling of this surname, gathered from the memorial indexes. Ninety-six of them. One is in Croatia.

A register entry says a person existed. A grave says somebody paid for them to be remembered, and kept paying — and where the family was standing when they did it. So the map of the graves is not the map of the parishes. It is the map of where the family ended up.

USA 49

Italy 22

Australia 15

Switzerland 4

Canada 3

Brazil 1

Croatia 1

Germany 1

The only one in Croatia

Antonio Defranceschi, 9 Apr 1894 – 11 Feb 1946

Kaiserlich und königlich Marinefriedhof — the Imperial and Royal Naval Cemetery at Pula, laid out in 1862 for the Austro-Hungarian fleet and its dead, and still standing. He was fifty-one when he died on 11 February 1946, nine months after the war ended and a year before the treaty that took Istria out of Italy. His name is in the burial register this archive already held, and it is the one entry where the paper and the stone agree.

One grave — in the indexes. Against forty-nine in the United States, twenty-two in Italy and fifteen in Australia.

The reason is partly the indexes: Croatian cemeteries are barely covered by the volunteer memorial sites, and this figure is not a census of the ground. But it is also real. The Istrian Italians left after 1945, and in Istria and on the Kvarner a grave whose lease is not renewed is cleared and re-let on a cycle. Where nobody was left to renew, there is nothing to photograph.

Except that the family holds photographs of two more

Which is the whole argument against reading a memorial index as a map of the ground.

Inside a genealogy file in the family's own papers are 247 photographs. Two of them are graves, and neither is in any index.

The first is on the Kvarner coast: a standing stone with a cross and two oval porcelain medallions — a woman, and a man in a fedora. The cutting reads “Ovdje počiva u miru Božjem — ANA DE. FRANCESCHI — ✱ 19.IX.1863 ✝ 28.V.1936”. Here rests in God's peace. Below the dates the word suprug, husband, begins a second inscription that the photograph cuts off before the name.

The second is a bronze plaque in a lawn cemetery four hundred kilometres inland from Melbourne, and it settles a date this archive had from two sources that disagreed: “ZDRAVKO FRANK DEFRANCESKI, died 22nd December 1979 aged 58, beloved husband of Rosa, loved father of Anton and Vivian, loved grandfather of Dean, Lisa, Antonia and Carla.” The cemetery record was right and the family's own file, which gives 1999, is wrong. The four grandchildren named on it match the family structure exactly: two are Anton's, two are his sister's.

And there is a third, of Ivan Defrančeski, 1925–1995 — polished granite, a plain incised cross, the name cut in Croatian orthography, flowers on the neighbouring slabs.

The house at Crikvenica →

Horsham, Victoria

The end of the Pfullingen story, and it is not California.

Name	Dates	Plot	Cemetery
Ruža “Rosa” Defranceski	– 1 Feb 1996	SOUTH 2-D-23	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia
Zdravko “Frank” Defranceski	1921 – 22 Dec 1979	—	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia
Zorafko Frank De Franceski	– 27 Dec 1979	CENTRAL 2-J-10	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia
Antony De Franceski	1943 – 28 Jun 1999	3/3 - 9/BF	Willowbank, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

In 1943 Zdravko Defranceski was taken by the Partisans, held three or four months, and went straight to Germany — a clerk pencilled it on the back of his sickness-fund card. He worked at Reutlingen as a motor mechanic. On 22 February 1949 he was on a resettlement roll with his wife Ruža, of Fužine, and their small son, IRO number 135801.

He is buried in the Wimmera, in western Victoria, under the name Frank. He died on 22 December 1979, aged fifty-eight. Ruža followed him on 1 February 1996, and lies in the same ground, South 2-D-23. The cemetery holds a third entry for him under a mangled reading of his name, Zorafko Frank De Franceski, dated five days later — a burial date recorded as a death.

And Antony De Franceski, the child entered on the French camp card in 1947 with the single word enfant written across the fingerprint boxes, died on 28 June 1999 and is buried at Willowbank, in the City of Ipswich — in Queensland, an hour up the highway from Brisbane. This archive withheld his name while there was any chance he was living. There is not.

The six at Pfullingen →

Millbrook, New York

Name	Dates	Cemetery
Gerda Seedorf de Franceschi	15 Jan 1913 – 9 Oct 2012	Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York, USA
Joachim Bruno deFranceschi	12 Aug 1907 – 6 Jul 2000	Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York, USA

Joachim Bruno deFranceschi, 12 August 1907 – 6 July 2000. The FamilySearch index gives his birthplace as Callignana — a clerk's slip for Gallignana, which is Gračišće. He is, so far as this archive can establish, the only person born in the parish of the direct line whose grave has been found anywhere. He lived to ninety-two, in Dutchess County, and his wife Gerda Seedorf — a German name, and a marriage that has its own story somewhere — outlived him by twelve years and lies beside him.

Where they cluster

More of this name lies in one churchyard in Connecticut than in the whole of Croatia.

Cemetery	Where	Graves
New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	9
Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	8
Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	6
Cimitero di Giubiasco	Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland	4
Broken Hill Cemetery	Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia	3
Horsham Cemetery	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia	3
Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum	Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA	3
Saint Andrew's Catholic Cemetery	Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada	2
Cimitero di Dolo	Dolo, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	2
Cimitero di Vigonza	Vigonza, Padova, Veneto, Italy	2
Hillside Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	2
Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery	Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan, USA	2
Lake City Cemetery	Lake City, Missaukee County, Michigan, USA	2
Loud Cemetery	Loud Township, Montmorency County, Michigan, USA	2
Maryhill Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum	Niles, Cook County, Illinois, USA	2
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona	Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA	2
Nine Partners Cemetery	Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York, USA	2
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Columbarium	Whiting, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA	2
Saint John Neumann Cemetery	Chalfont, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA	2
Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery	Washington, District of Columbia, USA	2
Saint Peter Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	2

New Saint Francis at Torrington holds nine, and the neighbouring Saint Peter and Hillside cemeteries hold four more between them — a single Connecticut brass-and-clock town with thirteen graves of this name. Two of the Torrington graves are children who died in the same year, Lina, eleven, and Mario, seven, both in 1925. Campo Verano in Rome holds eight; Santa Maria di Sala in the Veneto six, of whom three are men who died in 1942, 1944 and 1945.

The whole gazetteer

Name	Dates	Age	Cemetery	Where	Plot
Giacomo Defranceschi	– 19 Nov 2012	—	Broken Hill Cemetery	Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia	—
John Defranceschi	– 7 Mar 2019	—	Broken Hill Cemetery	Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia	GENE 5
Robert Defranceschi	dates unknown	—	Broken Hill Cemetery	Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia	Catholic, XA, row 11, plot 16
Mario De Franceschi	15 Sep 1938 – 29 Jan 2013	75	Centenary Memorial Gardens	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia	The Avenue, Tree 16, Site 15
Corrado De Franceschi	2 May 1941 – 3 Sep 2000	59	Fawkner Memorial Park	Fawkner, Victoria, Australia	Special Lawn, Section B2, Grave 5
Cesare De Franceschi	– 30 Jan 2005	—	Gungahlin Cemetery and Crematorium	Mitchell, Canberra, ACT, Australia	HS/10/01/00/084
Ruža “Rosa” Defranceski	– 1 Feb 1996	—	Horsham Cemetery	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia	SOUTH 2-D-23
Zdravko “Frank” Defranceski	1921 – 22 Dec 1979	58	Horsham Cemetery	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia	—
Zorafko Frank De Franceski	– 27 Dec 1979	—	Horsham Cemetery	Horsham, Rural City of Horsham, Victoria, Australia	CENTRAL 2-J-10
Mario De Franceschi	6 Oct 1924 – 11 Jul 2012	88	Lakeside Memorial Park	Kanahooka, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia	Serenity 1, Site 35C
Adelia De Franceschi	22 Mar 1930 – 2 Jul 2013	83	Lilydale Memorial Park	Lilydale, Victoria, Australia	—
Adelia Defranceschi	22 Mar 1930 – 2 Jul 2013	83	Lilydale Memorial Park	Lilydale, Yarra Ranges Shire, Victoria, Australia	Yellow Gum North (DA), Row 17, Grave 9
Attilio De Franceschi	– 30 Jul 1969	—	Melbourne General Cemetery	Parkville, Victoria, Australia	Roman Catholic, Compartment NBV, 18
Fabiola De Franceschi	– 21 Mar 1985	—	Rookwood Catholic Cemeteries	Rookwood, New South Wales, Australia	Cr Lwn 5, Plot 205
Antony De Franceski	1943 – 28 Jun 1999	56	Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery	Willowbank, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia	3/3 - 9/BF
Rodolpho De Franceschi	– 16 Jul 1971	—	Cemitério da Irmandade Arcanjo São Miguel	Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil	—
Joseph “Joe” De Franceschi	22 Sep 1946 – 27 May 2022	76	Colchester Cemetery	Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada	—
Maria De Franceschi	2 Feb 1923 – 24 Apr 1997	74	Saint Andrew's Catholic Cemetery	Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada	—
Mario De Franceschi	17 Aug 1919 – 1 Sep 2012	93	Saint Andrew's Catholic Cemetery	Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada	—
Antonio Defranceschi	9 Apr 1894 – 11 Feb 1946	52	Kaiserlich und königlich Marinefriedhof	Pula, Grad Pula, Istarska, Croatia	—
Matthäus Franceschi del Campo	1790 – 1844	54	Alter Katholischer Friedhof Dresden	Friedrichstadt, Dresden, Saxony, Germany	—
Adalgisa De Franceschi	22 Sep 1886 – 3 May 1960	74	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Alberto De Franceschi	1 Oct 1913 – 23 Jul 1983	70	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Amedea De Franceschi	13 Jun 1925 – 21 Jun 1996	71	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Amedeo De Franceschi	1 Jan 1894 – 6 Jun 1925	31	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Anna Panella De Franceschi	23 Jul 1880 – 19 May 1951	71	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Caterina Iacobelli De Franceschi	31 May 1867 – 11 Jan 1963	96	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Mario De Franceschi	9 Apr 1898 – 24 Aug 1984	86	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Oreste De Franceschi	5 Mar 1876 – 21 Oct 1954	78	Cimitero Comunale Monumentale Campo Verano	Rome, Lazio, Italy	—
Zaverio De Franceschi	1847 – 1924	77	Cimitero Monumentale di Milano	Milan, Lombardia, Italy	—
Anna Maria Carrara De Franceschi	1927 – 2003	76	Cimitero di Dolo	Dolo, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Romano De Franceschi	1924 – 1987	63	Cimitero di Dolo	Dolo, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Augusto De Franceschi	26 Feb 1879 – 9 Nov 1950	71	Cimitero di Montà	Padova, Veneto, Italy	—
Davide De Franceschi	9 Dec 1875 – 1926	51	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Florinda De Franceschi	1896 – 1961	65	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Giovanni Silvio De Franceschi	15 Feb 1914 – 1942	28	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Giulio Valentino De Franceschi	14 Feb 1911 – 1951	40	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Guido De Franceschi	1907 – 1945	38	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Raffaele De Franceschi	13 Feb 1918 – 1944	26	Cimitero di Santa Maria di Sala	Santa Maria di Sala, Venezia, Veneto, Italy	—
Luigi De Franceschi	4 Dec 1912 – 13 Dec 1987	75	Cimitero di Tignale	Tignale, Brescia, Lombardia, Italy	—
Placida Maria Giacomello De Franceschi	5 Sep 1909 – 8 Jan 1997	88	Cimitero di Vigonza	Vigonza, Padova, Veneto, Italy	—
Vittorio Giulio De Franceschi	8 Feb 1904 – 17 Jan 1988	84	Cimitero di Vigonza	Vigonza, Padova, Veneto, Italy	—
Mario De Franceschi	19 Jun 1933 – 26 May 2024	91	Padua Main Cemetery	Padua, Veneto, Italy	Vecchio Settore, Reparto 2, Campo 1, Fila 1
Margherita DeFranceschi	1921 – 1991	70	Cimitero di Giubiasco	Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland	—
Pietro DeFranceschi	1884 – 1957	73	Cimitero di Giubiasco	Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland	—
Remo DeFranceschi	1919 – 1975	56	Cimitero di Giubiasco	Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland	—
Rosa DeFranceschi	1885 – 1956	71	Cimitero di Giubiasco	Giubiasco, Ticino, Switzerland	—
Kristy A DeFranceschi	9 Sep 1960 – 28 Nov 2011	51	Arlington National Cemetery	Arlington, Virginia, USA	Columbarium 7-D-13-3
Giovanni De Franceschi	24 Mar 1846 – 22 Dec 1916	70	Calvary Cemetery	Woodside, Queens County, New York, USA	—
Pascuala Rodriguez De Franceschi	1812 – 1894	82	Cementerio Municipal Viejo	Yauco, Puerto Rico, USA	—
Eloina Rodriguez Garcia De Franceschi	1901 – 13 Sep 1941	40	Cementerio Trujillo	San Germán, Puerto Rico, USA	—
Tobias Edward DeFranceschi	15 Jun 1911 – 28 Mar 1972	61	Desert Memorial Park	Cathedral City, Riverside County, California, USA	C1, 223 — indigent burial
Edward “Dado” de Franceschi	1952 – 1967	15	Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum	Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York, USA	HIC, 873
Maria Delia Velázquez de Franceschi	28 Sep 1932 – 20 Dec 2023	91	Florida National Cemetery	Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida, USA	Section 607, Site 1078
B. A. Defranceschi	1943 – 1994	51	Glen Eden Memorial Park	Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan, USA	Memorial Wall — Chapel of Memories
Leonard DeFranceschi	1908 – 20 Aug 1969	61	Hillside Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Old Section P
Mary DeFranceschi	1886 – 8 Nov 1972	86	Hillside Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Old Section P
Albino DeFranceschi	1895 – 2 Oct 1932	37	Holy Cross Cemetery	Clarksburg, Harrison County, West Virginia, USA	—
Cosmo DeFranceschi	24 Oct 1899 – 18 Jan 1972	73	Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery	Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan, USA	—
Mary Grace DeMicco DeFranceschi	30 Aug 1909 – 28 Jan 1994	85	Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery	Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan, USA	—
Emanuele DeFranceschi	4 Nov 1899 – 1 Nov 1977	78	Lake City Cemetery	Lake City, Missaukee County, Michigan, USA	East 166-2
Mary Piai DeFranceschi	3 Nov 1901 – 2 Feb 1990	89	Lake City Cemetery	Lake City, Missaukee County, Michigan, USA	East 166-1
Joseph De Franceschi	– 26 Apr 1940	—	Long Island National Cemetery	East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA	F, 2918
Don Gerard DeFranceschi	10 Nov 1956 – 26 Apr 2010	54	Loud Cemetery	Loud Township, Montmorency County, Michigan, USA	Block 2, Lot 34, Grave 3
Maria Ann DeFranceschi	9 May 1962 – 1 Mar 2010	48	Loud Cemetery	Loud Township, Montmorency County, Michigan, USA	Block 2, Lot 34, Grave 2
John A. DeFranceschi	26 Feb 1962 – 16 Oct 2019	57	Maryhill Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum	Niles, Cook County, Illinois, USA	—
Nicholas J. DeFranceschi	8 Jul 1990 – 8 Jul 1990	0	Maryhill Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum	Niles, Cook County, Illinois, USA	—
Brad Joseph DeFranceschi	17 Sep 1969 – 9 Oct 2017	48	Masonic Cemetery	Clinton, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, USA	—
Benito De Franceschi	8 Oct 1938 – 10 Feb 2022	84	National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona	Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA	Section 60A, Site 45
Joni M. De Franceschi	13 Dec 1939 – 28 Feb 2016	77	National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona	Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA	Section 60A, Site 45
Bartolo DeFranceschi	1882 – 1952	70	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 15
Clotilde Toffoletti DeFranceschi	1886 – 1965	79	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Dennis Martin DeFranceschi	4 Nov 1948 – 8 Jan 2020	72	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Francesco DeFranceschi	1886 – 1937	51	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Giovanni “John” DeFranceschi	11 Nov 1876 – 18 Mar 1934	58	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Lina DeFranceschi	1914 – 1925	11	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Maria DeFranceschi	1878 – 1925	47	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Mario DeFranceschi	1918 – 1925	7	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 19
Mary DeFranceschi	1886 – 1972	86	New Saint Francis Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	Section 15
Gerda Seedorf de Franceschi	15 Jan 1913 – 9 Oct 2012	99	Nine Partners Cemetery	Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York, USA	—
Joachim Bruno deFranceschi	12 Aug 1907 – 6 Jul 2000	93	Nine Partners Cemetery	Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York, USA	—
La Bambola De Franceschi	1909 – 1909	0	Oconee Hill Cemetery	Athens, Clarke County, Georgia, USA	EH
Basilio De Franceschi	– 17 Jun 1994	—	Saint Charles Cemetery	East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York, USA	Section 48, Row S, Grave 113
Duilo DeFranceschi	10 Jun 1921 – 12 Jun 2003	82	Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Columbarium	Whiting, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA	—
Nella DeFranceschi	4 Feb 1921 – 10 Jun 1992	71	Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Columbarium	Whiting, Ocean County, New Jersey, USA	—
Antonio De Franceschi	22 Feb 1897 – Jun 1979	82	Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum	Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA	Sec 53, Row P, Grave 111
Bruno De Franceschi	– Sep 2015	—	Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum	Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA	Sec RMAP, Crypt 1-031F
John A. De Franceschi	– Dec 1952	—	Saint John Cemetery and Mausoleum	Middle Village, Queens County, New York, USA	Sec 53, Row P, Grave 111
Evelyn DeFranceschi	20 May 1929 – 20 Oct 2005	76	Saint John Neumann Cemetery	Chalfont, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA	Section 3, Range 4, #22
Joseph DeFranceschi	26 Mar 1929 – 15 Jan 2013	84	Saint John Neumann Cemetery	Chalfont, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA	Section 3, Range 4, #22
Attilio “Til” DeFranceschi	21 Nov 1925 – 9 May 2010	85	Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery	River Grove, Cook County, Illinois, USA	Section Y, Block 19, Lot 45, Grave 1
Luigi “Louis” DeFranceschi	3 Nov 1873 – May 1950	77	Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery	Washington, District of Columbia, USA	—
Teresa Fior DeFranceschi	1882 – 13 Feb 1955	73	Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery	Washington, District of Columbia, USA	—
Alfred DeFranceschi	1914 – 1999	85	Saint Peter Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	—
Edith M DeFranceschi	1915 – 1996	81	Saint Peter Cemetery	Torrington, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA	—
Conchita Z. De Franceschi	– 5 Jul 1923	—	Woodlawn Cemetery	Bronx, New York, USA	Primrose, Section 185, Lot 15004NE, Grave 2

Two graves this archive knows of and cannot find

Valentino Defranceschi's tomb in the cathedral at Rijeka, which he made for himself with an epigraph in 1785 — the same man who came from Carnia, was made a citizen of Fiume in 1739 and built the chapel of St Helena in 1764. And the old family tomb before the altar of the church at Piska, near Omiš, with the arms carved on it, belonging to the Giovanni who led volunteers to the siege of Imotski in 1718. Neither is on any memorial index. Both are described in print. Somebody should photograph them.

What this page is not

It is not a survey of the ground. It is a survey of what volunteers have photographed and typed up, which is heavily weighted to the English-speaking world and to Italy. Croatia, Slovenia and the Istrian villages are almost entirely absent. Read the count of one Croatian grave as a fact about the record, and only then as a fact about the family.

Source: Find a Grave memorial index, searched under Defranceschi, De Franceschi, DeFranceschi, Defranceski and De Franceski. Each name links to its own memorial.

What this page rests on

Find a Grave Database

The family's MacFamilyTree file Family · held by the family

The full bibliography, with what each source gave and where it is weak →