 Luigi Boccardo was born on 9 August 1861 as the seventh of nine children to Gaspare Boccardo and Giuseppina Malerba; his siblings included his sister Giacinta and his brothers Albino and Giovanni Ottavio.His eldest brother was Giovanni Maria (20 November 1848 - 30 December 1913).Giovanni Ottavio - at the age of thirteen - became Luigi's godfather at the latter's baptism and would have a decisive role in Luigi's future.