Mendrisio Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Mendrisio 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.



This maps shows the municipality of Mendrisio after its merger with Salorino.

Geography
The municipality of Mendrisio is in the Mendrisio district and the Ticino canton. It is the capital of the Mendrisio district. It is located at the foot of Monte Generoso. The area of Mendrisio has grown with multiple mergers of other municipalities.
 * 2004 - Salorino was added
 * 2009 - Arzo, Capolago, Genestrerio, Rancate and Tremona were added
 * 2013 - Besazio, Ligornetto and Meride were added

Mendrisio currently has an area of 31.77 km² (12.27 square miles) -- after the 2013 merger. In 1997 (before the mergers), Mendrisio had an area of 11.71 km² (4.52 square miles). The land use (1997) was divided up as follows:
 * 14.9% - agricultural purposes
 * 27.0% - forested
 * 22.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 0.3% - rivers & lakes
 * 0.4% - non-productive

History
In 793, Mendrisio was first mentioned with the name of Mendrici. Mendrisio is in the Mendrisio district and the Ticino canton. Mendrisio has grown through multiple mergers as follows:
 * Municipalities merged on 4 April 2004 include
 * Salorino
 * Municipalities merged on 5 April 2009 include
 * Arzo
 * Capolago
 * Genestrerio
 * Rancate
 * Tremona
 * Municipalities merged on 14 April 2013 include
 * Besazio
 * Ligornetto
 * Meride

The population history of Mendrisio is: 1591 - 962 inhabitants 1643 - 862 inhabitants 1696 - 1,051 inhabitants 1850 - 1,972 inhabitants 1860 - 2,062 inhabitants 1870 - 2,321 inhabitants 1880 - 2,744 inhabitants 1888 - 2,825 inhabitants 1900 - 3,338 inhabitants 1910 - 3,919 inhabitants 1920 - 3,607 inhabitants 1930 - 3,904 inhabitants 1941 - 4,265 inhabitants 1950 - 4,602 inhabitants 1960 - 5,109 inhabitants 1970 - 6,223 inhabitants 1980 - 6,590 inhabitants 1990 - 6,152 inhabitants 2000 - 6,146 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 81.1% were Roman Catholic
 * 4.5% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 10.8% belong to another church

Until the 15th century, Mendrisio remained a part of the large parish of Balerna. In 1672, the Church of Saints-Cosme-et-Damien was built in the Baroque style. It was demolished in the 19th century and a new church was built between 1863-1875. The Church of Saint-Sisinio was built of the town.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Mendrisio can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Mendrisio 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)