Pura Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Pura 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, Pura has an area of 3.04 square kilometers (1.17 sq mi). The municipality is situated in the Lugano district, on a terrace above the Magliasina, in the mid-Malcantone valley. It includes the village of Pura and the hamlets of Magliasina and Moriscio.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 22.0% - agricultural purposes
 * 75.0% - forested
 * 17.4% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 0.7% - rivers or lakes
 * 0.7% - unproductive land

Pura is considered to be a rural area and is only 15 minutes from the center of Lugano. Pura is located only 10 minutes from Agno Airport. Pura is only a 15-minute walk into Italy. Being close to the border, border security is important for the Swiss, security is provided by border patrols (Guarda di Confine) and even high-flying observational drones or UAV's.

History
The first mention of Pura was in 807 as Nego. The next mention of Neggio was in 1335 as Negio

The population history of Pura is: 1670 - 127 inhabitants 1801 - 120 inhabitants 1850 - 203 inhabitants 1900 - 183 inhabitants 1950 - 193 inhabitants 1980 - 315 inhabitants 2000 - 352 inhabitants

Neggio, formed in the 15th century, an independent neighborhood. It separated from the parish of Agno in 1611. The Church of the Annunciation has preserved 14th-century frescoes which belonged to the old oratory, demolished around 1620 to make way for a new building. Nothing remains of the old Saint-Georges church; on the hill which bears the name of this saint is an 18th-century oratory.

According to records from 1571, Pura Parish was part of the Agno Pieve. The Pieve was formed from the following parishes: In Swiss territory -

In what is now Italian territory. With the exception of Cremenaga, all these parishes were separated from Agno by 1633.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Pura can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Pura 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)