Bedano, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Bedano, 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, Bedano has an area of 1.87 square kilometers (0.72 sq mi). The municipality is situated in the Lugano district, on the right bank of the Vedeggio. The old village center is located on the old Ponte Tresa to Monte Ceneri Pass road.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 29.4% - agricultural purposes
 * 53.5% - forested
 * 27.8% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 3.2% - rivers or lakes
 * 1.6% - unproductive land

History
The first mention of Bironico is in 1296 as Bironico.

The population history of Bironico is: 1769 - 128 inhabitants 1801 - 201 inhabitants 1850 - 177 inhabitants 1900 - 431 inhabitants 1950 - 272 inhabitants 2000 - 512 inhabitants

During the High Middle Ages, Bironico was first dependent on the diocese and then on the city of Como for spiritual needs. At the end of the 13th Century, the Rusca, an aristocratic family from Como, settled in the municipality. They lived in the castle from 1328 to 1416. The parish church, erected from 1267, is dedicated to Saint Martin.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Bedano can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Bedano prior to 1900, 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)