Lugano Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Lugano 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 city and municipality of Lugano is in the Lugano district and the Ticino canton. It is the capital of the Lugano district, the largest city of Ticino canton, and the ninth largest Swiss city. It is located at the bay of Lugano on Lake Lugano. The area of Lugano has grown with multiple mergers of other municipalities.
 * 1972 - Brè-Aldesago and Castagnola were added
 * 2004 - Breganzona, Cureggia , Davesco-Soragno , Gandria , Pambio-Noranco ,Pazzallo , Pregassona and Viganello were added
 * 2008 - Barbengo, Carabbia and Villa Luganese were added
 * 2013 - Bogno, Cadro , Carona , Certara , Cimadera , Sonvico and Valcollain were added

Lugano has an area of 32.09 km² (12.39 square miles). The land use (1997) was divided up as follows:
 * 10.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 21.0% - forested
 * 14.0% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 0.1% - rivers & lakes
 * 0.4% - non-productive

History
In 804, Lugano was first mentioned with the name of Luanasco, then as Luano in 874, and as Lugano in 1189. Lugano is in the Lugano district and the Ticino canton. Lugano has grown through multiple mergers as follows:
 * Municipalities merged in 1972 include
 * Brè-Aldesago
 * Castagnola
 * Municipalities merged in 2004 include
 * Breganzona
 * Cureggia
 * Davesco-Soragno
 * Gandria
 * Pambio-Noranco
 * Pazzallo
 * Pregassona
 * Viganello
 * Municipalities merged in 2008 include
 * Barbengo
 * Carabbia
 * Villa Luganese
 * Municipalities merged in 2013 include
 * Bogno
 * Cadro
 * Carona
 * Certara
 * Cimadera
 * Sonvico
 * Valcolla

The population history of Lugano is: 1643 - 3,278 inhabitants 1670 - 3,402 inhabitants 1710 - 2,302 inhabitants 1769 - 4,351 inhabitants 1783 - 3,761 inhabitants 1850 - 5,939 inhabitants 1870 - 6,836 inhabitants 1888 - 8,185 inhabitants 1900 - 10,847 inhabitants 1910 - 14,988 inhabitants 1930 - 17,672 inhabitants 1950 - 21,448 inhabitants 1970 - 27,121 inhabitants 1990 - 25,334 inhabitants 2000 - 26,560 inhabitants 2010 - 54,667

Per the 2000 census:
 * 67.9% were Roman Catholic
 * 5.7% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 17.8% belong to another church

Lugano was an important religious center for a long time. In 818, the parish church of Saint-Laurent was attested and completely renovated in 1905. During the 13th century, the convent and the church of Saint-Antoine-le-Grand was established and then rebuilt between 1633 and 1652.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Lugano can be accessed here.

The 1837 census for the municipality of Lugano has been indexed and can be accessed here. The browsable images for the 1837 census can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Lugano 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)