Monteggio, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Monteggio, 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
As of 1997, Monteggio has an area of 3.36 square kilometers (1.30 sq mi). The former municipality is situated in the Lugano district, in the lower Malcantone valley on the Italian border. It is divided up into 26 sections or settlements including Brusata, Castello, Fornasette, Lisora, Molinazzo and Ponte Cremenaga.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 40.5% - agricultural purposes
 * 48.8% - forested
 * 19.3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 2.7% - rivers or lakes
 * 2.1% - unproductive land

On 18 April 2021, the following municipalities merged to form the new municipality of Tresa.
 * Croglio
 * Monteggio
 * Ponte Tresa
 * Sessa

History
The first mention of Monteggio was in 1466 as da Montegio. The current village core was called Albio until 1819.

The population history of Monteggio is: 1850 - 619 inhabitants 1900 - 802 inhabitants 1950 - 606 inhabitants 2000 - 784 inhabitants 2010 - 871 inhabitants 2020 - 855 inhabitants

Until 1819, the present center of Monteggio was called Albio after the castle of the Capitanei of Sessa. The Saint-Adalbert de Castello oratory, recognized in 1428, was built on the ruins of the castle. In the Middle Ages, the history of the village followed that of Sessa; like the other municipalities situated on the Tresa (Ponte Tresa and Croglio), Monteggio was a "privileged land" due to the defensive role entrusted to its inhabitants. The tax exemptions permitted by the Dukes of Milan in the 14th century were confirmed by the Confederates in 1513. Spiritually, Monteggio belongs to the parish of Sessa.

Church Records
Monteggio belongs to the parish of Sessa.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Monteggio can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Monteggio 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)