Castro Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Castro Parish, Ticino, Switzerland, ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, parish census, civil census, family history, area history, and military records.



Geography
The municipality of Castro is in the Blenio district and the Ticino canton. It is located on the right side of the valley.

History
In 1200, Castro was first mentioned with the name of Castri. Castro is in the district of Blenio and the Ticino canton. Castro merged into the municipality of Acquarossa on 8 October 2003. Other former municipalities merged include:
 * Corzoneso
 * Dongio
 * Largario
 * Leontica
 * Lottigna
 * Marolta
 * Ponto Valentino
 * Prugiasco

The population history of Castro is: 1567 - 68 inhabitants 1808 - 114 inhabitants 1850 - 129 inhabitants 1900 - 97 inhabitants 1950 - 81 inhabitants 1970 - 62 inhabitants 2000 - 81 inhabitants 2003 - 79 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 81.1% were Roman Catholic
 * 4.3% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 12.6% belong to another church

Until 1644, Maroggia belonged to the Riva San Vitale parish church when it became an independent parish. In 1579, the parish church of Saint-Pierre was first mentioned (it was built in the Early Middle Ages). In 1640, the new building was built and then restored in 1982. In 1731, the pilgrimage chapel of Madonna della Cintura was built.

Census
(See here for information regarding Ticino census records.)

The 1808 Ticino census for Castro can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Castro prior to 1875, along with any known soprannomi. For more information about soprannomi, click here.

Related sources
The town's website (in Italian) can be found here.

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Ticino

Societies
Società Genealogica della Svizzera Italiana (SGSI)