Moleno Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Moleno 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
As of 1997, Moleno has an area of 7.49 square kilometers (2.89 sq mi). The municipality is situated in the Bellinzona district, on the northern border of the district.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 7.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 79.3% - forested
 * 3.3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 1.9% - rivers or lakes
 * 7.6% - unproductive land

History
The first mention of Moleno was in 1213 as Moleno, though this comes from a copy from 1588. In 1256. it was again mentioned as a Rivo de Moline.

On 2 April 2017, these former neighboring municipalities merged into Bellinzona:
 * Camorino
 * Claro
 * Giubiasco
 * Gnosca
 * Gorduno
 * Gudo
 * Moleno
 * Monte Carasso
 * Pianezzo
 * Preonzo
 * Sant'Antonio
 * Sementina

The population history of Bellinzona is: 1850 - 145 inhabitants 1900 - 111 inhabitants 1950 - 78 inhabitants 1990 - 76 inhabitants 2000 - 105 inhabitants

During the Middle Ages, the water running from the Moleno valley formed the southern Border of the Levantine valley. In 1335, Moleno became part of the County of Bellinzona. In 1396, its territory was combined with Preonzo, to form a single village settlement. In 1403–1422, it was included in the Uri and Obwalden dominated Levantine district. This situation lasted until Bellinzona opposed the Confederates. However during these years, the confederation officers recognized, the rights and customary law of Moleno and Preonzo. The parish church of San Vittore was built in the 13th Century and was rebuilt in the 15th century. In 1542, it broke away from the church at Biasca. Moleno, Gnosca and Preonzo were the three municipalities in the district of Bellinzona where the Ambrosian Rite was practiced in the churches.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Moleno can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Moleno 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)