Genoese in Gibraltar

Genoese Gibraltarians

The Flags of Genoa and Gibraltar.
Early view of Catalan Bay or La Caleta (a fishing village on the east side of the Rock of Gibraltar where Genoese fishermen settled) looking south from the top of the access road - late 19th century. The round shaped rock which juts out into the sea is commonly known as "la mamela" (Italian: , the breast), the name given to it by the early Genoese settlers as it resembles a woman's breast when viewed from the shore.
Regions with significant populations
Languages
English, Spanish, Italian, Genoese, Zeneize Genoese, Llanito
Religion
Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups
Italian people

A Genoese community has existed in Gibraltar since the 16th century and later became an important part of the population.

There is much evidence of a community of emigrants from Genoa, who moved to Gibraltar in the 16th century and that were more than a third of the Gibraltar population in the first half of the 18th century. Although labeled as "Genoese", they were not only from the city of Genoa but from all of Liguria, a northern Italian region that was the center of the maritime Republic of Genoa.

After the conquest of Gibraltar from Spain in 1704, nearly all the original Spanish population moved away. Among those who stayed there were 30 Genoese families, most of them forming a group resident in Catalan Bay which worked as fishermen. Their main activities in the years following the conquest of Gibraltar and its formal transfer to Great Britain were not only related to fishing, but to craftsmanship and commerce.

According to the 1725 census, on a total civilian population of 1113 there were 414 Genoese, 400 Spaniards, 137 Jews, 113 Britons and 49 others (mainly Portuguese and Dutch). In the 1753 census the Genoese were the biggest group (nearly 34%) of civilian residents in the Gibraltar and up until 1830 Italian was spoken together with English and Spanish and used in official announcements.

Many Genoese in the late 18th century arrived to work for the garrison and later went on to form the basis of Gibraltar's civilian police force - the Genoese Guard.

"In 1740, English Law was introduced in Gibraltar and in 1753 the first Justices of the Peace were appointed....During this period the Military Authorities were experiencing great difficulties with Army deserters going into the Kingdom of Spain and thus a group of inhabitants were recruited to act as Frontier Guards. This group became known as the Genoese Guard and in time came to serve as a rudimentary Police Force when they were called upon to support the Military Authorities when dealing with civilians. Sergeants were appointed within the Genoese Guard and their titles "Jews Sergeant" and "Spanish Sergeant" reflected their role within the sectors of the community. The Genoese Guard were subsequently disbanded sometime after the Seven Year War."