> Ghi at the begining sounds Ji (jim) As I understand it, Ghi is pronounced "G" as in "gear" (not as in Jim), "ee" (but short, more like i as in Jim). That's what the H is there for - changes the G before the I from a J sound). (Geradine) GHIRARDANI Variations: GERADINE, GHIRADANI, GEARDINI, GERARDINI, GHIREDANI, GHERARDINI, GHIRARDINI, GERADINI, JERIDINA, GERARDINE, GERARDANI, GEORDINI, JERIDI(E)NE, GHIRAND(I)ANI, GLARINI > I am pretty certain the Daphne's Surname is GERARDINI(E). > GHIRADANI is incorrect also GHERARDINI the first because of the DANI and the second GHE My original surname is GHIRARDANI - correctly spelt by an Italian priest at the Royal Sardinian chapel in Holborn in my gg grandparents' 1851 marriage. My gg grandfather could not write but he was musical and would not mispronounce his own name. An Italian priest would know the difference between the sound of GHI and GE, also DANI and DINI and would be likely to check carefully before recording the names. GHIRARDINI is much more common, but that is not what he wrote. However, a British clerk (or child chanting their ABC for their illiterate parents) would spell it Ge(e)rard?ne(e). I suggest that the 'a' of 'dani' sounds closer to 'i' as in wine than 'a' as in lane. It changed between my great aunts' and uncles' births to GERADINE, although not in the 1881 census. Other branches of the family seem to have mostly changed around that time. It has changed pronunciation from the original name, presumably after being spelt wrongly by one person and mispronounced by the next - and perhaps the family gave up to merge into British society. Some close relatives pronounce it to rhyme with wine, although my father rhymes it with 'dean' - that's how I grew up. Daphne Dashfield (Geradine) GHIRARDANI etc.