Gigante was born in Lower East Side, Manhattan to Salvatore Espositio Vulgo Gigante (April 26, 1900- April 1979), a jewel engraver, and Yolonda Santasilia-Gigante (1902-May 10, 1997), a seamstress and maternal nephew of Dolores Santasilia. His parents and aunt were first generation immigrants from Naples, Italy and never learned the English language. Vincent and his extended family relatives settled in New York City and Westchester County including Connecticut and Massachusetts. He had four brothers, Vincent Gigante, Pasquale A. Gigante (October 18, 1921 - January 7, 1983) and Ralph, who followed his brother Vincent into a life of organized crime but who would later . His last brother Louis Gigante became an ordained Roman Catholic priest at St. Athanasius Church in the South Bronx and cit