First Generation

1. Giuseppe Antonio GRAZIANI^1,2,3 was born on 10 Jun 1754 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.⁴ He was baptized on 10 Jun 1754 in Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.⁴ He died between 1814 and 1824.⁵

Una nota sobre la ortografía del apellido [English follows]:

Según Isabel BESTEIRO GRACCIANI -- nieta de Francisco GRACIANI PASTOR -- "originalmente nuestro apellido se escribía con dos zetas, pero lo españolizaron debido a las equivocaciones que con frecuencia surgían en documentos legales con los trastornos consecuentes, se escribió con dos ces o sea GRACCIANI y más tarde se le quitó una c por el mismo motivo" (1975).

"No hay ninguna duda," says Esperanza GRACIANI CASTILLA, cuyo padre usó GRAZZIANI, "la ortografía original era con dos zetas."

Después de mis investigaciones no creo más en esta teoría. Sin embargo, es cierto que en el siglo XIX se usaron consonantes dobles. Según Isabel BESTEIRO, "El abuelo [Francisco GRACIANI PASTOR] se firmaba en sus obras F. GRAZZIANI." Esperanza GRACIANI nota que su padre y tus tíos y también su abuelo, usaron GRAZZIANI. Actualmente (2003) los hijos de Esperanza usan MARTÍNEZ GRAZZIANI.

Aunque todos los documentos oficiales usaron Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO, ella usó GRACCIANI y la tarjeta en su funeral dice "Victorina GRACCIANI LORENZO." Todos sus hijos, además, usaron "BESTEIRO GRACCIANI."

Sin embargo, es raro que aparece en los documentos oficiales el apellido con dos consonantes. Se encuentra ambas formas en los hijos de Victorina: Josefa BESTEIRO GRACIANI y Jorge BESTEIRO GRACCIANI. Aun falta una investigación de los documentos en la linea de Domingo GRA--IANI MARTÍN.

Lo que si está claro ahora es que en Italia se usaron GRAZIANI.

A note about the spelling of the surname:

Isabel BESTEIRO GRACCIANI -- a great-granddaughter of Romano GRAZIANI -- wrote in 1975 that originally the name was spelled with two z's, but to make it Spanish and in order to avoid consequences on legal documents, it was written with two c's, that is GRACCIANI, and later they took off a c for the same reason."

Esperanza GRACIANI CASTILLA -- a descendant of Flavio GRAZIANI -- and whose father spelled his name GRAZZIANI wrote, "there is no doubt that the name was originally spelled with two z's."

I no longer believe this theory. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that double consonants were used in thte 19th century. According to Isabel BESTEIRO GRACIANI, her grandfather signed his name "F. GRAZZIANI," and Esperanza GRACIANI CASTILLA notes that not only her father, but also his siblings and his father, spelled their names GRAZZIANI. Despite the spelling of her name, her children now spell their name MARTÍNEZ GRAZZIANI.

Although all official documentation shows Isabel's mother as Victorina GRACIANI LORENZO, her funeral card reads Victorina GRACCIANI LORENZO, and all of her children used BESTEIRO GRACCIANI as their personal spelling of choice.

Nevertheless, it is rare for official documents to contain the double consonant. Both forms are found on the birth certificates of Victorina's children: Josefa BESTEIRO GRACIANI and Jorge BESTEIRO GRACCIANI. I have not yet seen documents for Domingo GRA--IANI MARTÍN's line.

What is now clear is that in Italy the name was spelled GRAZIANI.

Giuseppe Antonio GRAZIANI and Maria Lucia MARCHI were married before 1784 in Villa a Roggio, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.⁵ Maria Lucia MARCHI³ (daughter of Carlo MARCHI and Bartolomea [--?--]) was born about 1756 in Villa a Roggio, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.⁵ She died on 28 Mar 1809 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.⁶ Giuseppe Antonio GRAZIANI and Maria Lucia MARCHI had the following children:

2	i.	Maria Teresa GRAZIANI5 was born on 8 Jul 1784 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.7,8 She was baptized on 8 Jul 1784 in Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.7 She died after 1824.
3	ii.	Maria Maddalena GRAZIANI5,9 was born on 28 Oct 1785 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.10 Born at 10 AM. She was baptized on 28 Oct 1785 in Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.10 She died after 1836.5 Still living in the family home as of the 1836 census.
+4	iii.	Romano GRAZIANI.
5	iv.	Olimpia Paolina GRAZIANI5 was born on 13 Jul 1791 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.11 She was baptized on 13 Jul 1791 in Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.11,12 She died before 1804.5
6	v.	Agata Olimpia GRAZIANI3 was born on 5 Feb 1795 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.13 She was baptized on 5 Feb 1795 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.13,14 Instead of being baptized in the parish church of Pescaglia, as was the norm, Agata was baptized in Villabuona. The Rector explains that she was "baptized by my permission - due to bad weather - in the Chapel of Villabuona." She died before 1804.5
+7	vi.	Flavio GRAZIANI.
8	vii.	Mª Irene GRAZIANI5,15 was born on 13 Jun 1802 in Villabuona, Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.16 She was baptized on 13 Jun 1802 in Pescaglia, Lucca, Toscana, Italy.17 She died in Jun 1802.5 Per Giulio Salamme, died a few days after her death. "Irina" may not be the spelling of the cecond name, which is difficult to read. Although it looks like Irina, it was not a name that was used in 1800.