Carasso Parish, Ticino, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Carasso 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.



Carasso has been part of the municipality of Bellinzona since 1907.

Geography
Carasso and Galbisio are the only small sections of Bellinzona located on the west side of the Ticino river. The patriciate of Carasso (patriciates of canton Ticino) is responsible for the management of the forest and other community resources in this section. Carasso was a municipality of its own until 1907.

History
The first mention of Carasso was in 1207 as Calaxio.

In 1907, Carasso became part of the municipality of Bellinzona.

The population history of Carasso is: 1591 - 270 hearths 1801 - 212 inhabitants 1850 - 408 inhabitants 1900 - 845 inhabitants

1968-1969, remains of a Late Neolithic dwelling was discovered, including a fireplace with coarse ceramics and a sharpened axe. There have also been found in Carasso a burial site from the Iron Age, several finds of Roman origin (including an altar dedicated to Jupiter and Mercury), some late Roman Graves (5th century), and a building from the 7th century. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Rusconi family ruled in Carasso. The church of San Andrea is first mentioned in 1285. It separated from the mother church of Bellinzona in 1452, was destroyed in 1515, and rebuilt in a more protected place. The current building dates from the 18th century.

Locations within Carasso
See Bellinzona for more information.

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

The 1808 Ticino census for Carasso can be accessed here.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Carasso 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)