Born Giuseppe Ernesto Ardizzone in Piana dei Greci in the province of Palermo, Sicily to Antonino Ardizzone on November 19, 1884. Some of his maternal ancestors were descended from Albanians who fought Muslims during the 16th century invasions in eastern Europe. The Albanians were given land grants in what later became Italy, and with Piana di Greci being one of the larger Albanian communities. The Ardizzones were related to several other families and they would maintain contact in America. Those families included the Cuccias and the Matrangas.