Menzonio Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Menzonio 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 Menzonio is in the Vallemaggia district and the Ticino canton. It is located on the right side of the Lavizzara valley at an elevation of 732 m (2,402 ft). Menzonio (as of 1997) had an area of 10.68 km² (4.12 square miles). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 2.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 54.7% - forested
 * 0.8% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 1.4% - rivers or lakes
 * 38.6% - unproductive land

History
In 1364, Menzonio was first mentioned with the name of Menzone. Until the 15th century, Menzonio was combined with Brontallo, Bignasco and Cavergno. Menzonio is in the Vallemaggia district and the Ticino canton. Menzonio merged into the municipality of Lavizzara on 8 October 2003. Other former municipalities merged include:
 * Broglio
 * Brontallo
 * Fusio
 * Peccia
 * Prato-Sornico

The population history of Menzonio is: 1669 - 315 inhabitants 1795 - 149 inhabitants 1850 - 177 inhabitants 1860 - 198 inhabitants 1870 - 193 inhabitants 1880 - 205 inhabitants 1888 - 209 inhabitants 1900 - 190 inhabitants 1910 - 157 inhabitants 1920 - 128 inhabitants 1930 - 116 inhabitants 1941 - 129 inhabitants 1950 - 128 inhabitants 1960 - 96 inhabitants 1970 - 89 inhabitants 1980 - 104 inhabitants 1990 - 70 inhabitants 2000 - 73 inhabitants 2003 - 87 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 87.7% were Roman Catholic
 * 0.0% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 4.1% belong to another church

In 1513, the Menzonia church separated from the Cevio parish to form its own parish with Brontallo. In 1655, this combined parish was dissolved. A separate parish for Menzonia was created. In the 15th century, the Saints-Jacques-et-Philippe church e Filippo was first mentioned. In 1585, the current building was built. In 1644, it was rebuilt, and again in 1905.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Menzonio can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Menzonio 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)