Italian Surnames

[jcsm400]

I am wondering if there is or was an Italian custom that gave males in a family one spelling of the surname & another spelling to all the females.

I have found this on birth acts in a family from the Napoli area.

All males under Pagone. All females are Paone.

Has anyone else come across this same thing?

[wldspirit]

I had read somewhere, and for the life of me, I cannot remember where...... .......of male surname variations.........but not female variations.........Suanj, Riccardo or one of our Italian residents would know......
wldspirit