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
 * Salorino
 * Municipalities merged in 2004 include
 * 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 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 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)