Coglio Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Coglio 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
Coglio is a former political municipality of the canton of Ticino, district of Vallemaggia, and has been part of the municipality of Maggia since 2003. Located on the left bank of the Maggia River, Coglio was the smallest in terms of population and was formerly one of the poorest communities in the lower valley.

History
The first mention of Maggia is in 1200 as de madia. The next mention was in 1225 as Madiis, and then in 1270 as Madia.

Maggia's municipal borders were created on 8 October 2003 when the following municipalities were united:
 * Aurigeno
 * Coglio
 * Giumaglio
 * Lodano
 * Maggia
 * Moghegno
 * Someo

The population history of Maggia is: 1591 - 420 inhabitants 1709 - 530 inhabitants 1801 - 414 inhabitants 1850 - 641 inhabitants 1870 - 471 inhabitants 1900 - 340 inhabitants 1950 - 450 inhabitants 1990 - 712 inhabitants 2000 - 850 inhabitants

The history of the late Middle Ages under the rule of the twelve cantons ran parallel to that of the valley and the Pieve Locarno. The first parish church of the bottom of the valley was built in Maggia, after separating around 1000 from Saint Vittore in Muralto. In the centuries that followed, the parishes of the region came from this mother church. The current building, consecrated in 1636 and dedicated to Saint Maurice, was extended in 1855 (façade) and 1881 (monumental staircase) and restored in 1996-1998. The oratory of the Madonna delle Grazie, built in 1510 on an earlier chapel, contains contemporary frescoes and votive paintings by Giovanni Antonio Vanoni.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Coglio can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Coglio 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)