Brontallo Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Brontallo 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 Brontallo is in the Vallemaggia district and the Ticino canton. It is located on the right side of the valley at an elevation of 716 m (2,349 ft). Brontallo (as of 1997) had an area of 10.46 km² (4.04 square miles). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 1.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 57.4% - forested
 * 0.5% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 1.1% - rivers or lakes
 * 36.4% - unproductive land

History
In 1574, Brontallo was first mentioned with the name of Bruntalo. Until the 15th century, Brontallo was combined with Menzonio, Bignasco and Cavergno. Brontallo is in the Vallemaggia district and the Ticino canton. Brontallo merged into the municipality of Lavizzara on 8 October 2003. Other former municipalities merged include:
 * Broglio
 * Fusio
 * Menzonio
 * Peccia
 * Prato-Sornico

The population history of Brontallo is: 1669 - 227 inhabitants 1795 - 90 inhabitants 1850 - 173 inhabitants 1860 - 173 inhabitants 1870 - 163 inhabitants 1880 - 164 inhabitants 1888 - 158 inhabitants 1900 - 133 inhabitants 1910 - 136 inhabitants 1920 - 118 inhabitants 1930 - 96 inhabitants 1941 - 84 inhabitants 1950 - 92 inhabitants 1960 - 83 inhabitants 1970 - 64 inhabitants 1980 - 58 inhabitants 1990 - 55 inhabitants 2000 - 50 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 90.0% were Roman Catholic
 * 4.0% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 0.0% belong to another church

In the 15th century, the church of Virgin and Saint George was first mentioned. During the 16th century, it was rebuilt and then renovated many times after. In 1513, Menzonio separated from the Cevio parish. Brontallo remained until 1655 when it separated.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Brontallo can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Brontallo 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)