The descriptions of the origins of the surname

The Delcò (Delco outside Ticino area) are one of the families of patrizie1 Daro - Bellinzona (Switzerland)

Description 1

The name was to those who lived in chief (co') of the village or the village (see Dafont) and, in other cases, especially to those who were at the head (caput) of a community. For a parallel, referring to the head of the house, it puts forward a response like that of San Vittore (Canton Graubünden), where in 1513 there was Anton F. Johannis dicti "Che de cha", literally "head of the house" (RN 3.2.673).
The Delcò of Daro were, originally, from Blenio valley, as is clear from the materials well insured by Pometta, BSB10 (1977) 537. In the first half of the seventeenth century there is a Martino (Martin) cho 'de Blenio: in 1667 Carlo (Charles), son of Martino (Martin) A Capite (latin) of  Blenio, married a Pedrazzoli of Daro. The Delcò appear in acts concerning Lumino already in 1580, and then in subsequent documents, on which see De Gottardi 1980. 548

Ottavio. Lurati, 2000, ed. Fondazione Ticino Nostro, Lugano,
Perché ci chiamiamo così? Cognomi tra Lombardia, Piemonte e Svizzera italiana

Description 2

Delcò (Delco) from Bellinzona

Ancient form of the name De Capitis, family mentioned in Gnosca (1403) in Gudo (1515) in Bellinzona only on the end of the seventeenth century. A Molinazzo of Arbedo in 1704. Giovanni (John) De Capitis, crossbowman. In 1412, it was part of the garrison of the Castle of Bellinzona Castle (St. Peter's). The Castles today are of a later date. Benedetto (Benedict) Delcò, pastor of Gudo in 1602. Weapon: "The red lion passant of gold on a terrace vert a silver head against three blackbirds black."

sources:

  • A. Bassetti - "Attorno ad alcune vecchie carte familiari del bellinzonese" - pagina 18.

  • A. Pometta - "Gli antichi castelli bellinzonesi" - pagina 81.

  • Sommaruga - "Gudo e la sua chiesa" - numero unico 1892.

  • Rossetti - “Notizie storiche sulle condizioni feudali di gnosca” - pagina 19.

  • Manoscritti Archivio Araldico Lugano

 Archivio Araldico Lugano, 19 giugno 1945

Description 2a

This is the description given by the Pometta, also used as a source for the Description 2 of Lugano Institute of Heraldry.

The Delcò of Daro

The Delcò, patricians of Daro, do not come from Codeborgo, as some seem to believe, but, also, like Bruni, the Barera and others, are of Blenio valley.
In the first half of 1600, we find a Martino (Martin) Cho of Blenio, who has three sons, Charles (Carlo), James (Giacomo) and Julius (Giulio).
In 1667, Carolus fqu. Martini (latin; Charles son of the late Martin) a Capite de Blenio, habit. Dari, Territ.ii Bellinzone, (latin: who live in Daro, area of Bellinzona) he married Margarittam filiam Jacobi Pedrazzoli (Margaret daughter of James) from the Ostina of Daro, who has a brother Pietro (Peter) Pedrazzoli, and ten years later, with the notary Enrico Antonio Cislaghi, compiled the notarial document through which gave her a dowry, in which it should be noted a phrase which assigns, to Bellinzona, the ownership of the assets of the Chapel of S. Quirico: a nulla hora Bona Neneficji Capellae SS. torum Quirici et Julittae existens Dari, spectans ad Magnif. Comunit. Bellinzonne vigore Jurium suorum (Latin).
 His brother Giulio (Jules) Delcò lived for a long time, reaching about ninety years, and left his nephew Fulgenzio heir. Among these distinguished sons of Charles, and for several decades excelled in Daro, and it was for Daro municipal councilor in Bellinzona, and quite tenacious particularist.

Si tratta della descrizione fatta dal Pometta, utilizzata anche quale fonte per la descrizione 2 dell’Istituto Araldico di Lugano.

Giuseppe Pometta

The historical quotations of the surname Delcò

From the descriptions of the origins of the surname:

  1. Origins of Blenio valley (Pometta, BSB 10 (1977) 537): cho’ de Blenio; a capite

  2. 1403, Gnosca: De Capitis (Rossetti)

  3. 1412; Bellinzona, St. Piter Castle Bellinzona: De Capitis (Pometta)

  4. 1515, Gudo: De Capitis (

  5. 1602, Gudo; Delcò (Pastor of Gudo)

  6. ‘600, Bellinzona: De Capitis

  7. 1704, Arbedo: De capitis

From other sources:

  1. Anastasi, 1910: Surnames from Ticino - page 37 2, 3

  2. Parish Bulletin of Daro – 1930? (Nota: 1935) 2

  3. Patrician Daro: Delcò alias De Capitis – patrician family of Daro that between 1400 and 1600 resided in the castle of Schwyz in Bellinzona, coming from Malvaglia. (*)

  4. Archive of state of Canton Ticino, category differents, box 507, file 2578

  5. 1701, Mesocco: Delcò Catherine lived a 66 year old inbred Delcò Margaret, wife of Thomas Brocco (NSA Mesocco 1701)

  6. 1719, Mesocco: Dies Anna Delcò (May 10) at the age of 77 years (liber mortuorum Mesocco)

Riferimenti:

  1. For patrician means, in Switzerland, the person who belongs to a group of families who have lived for centuries in a certain village. In the past, the patricians had privileges stronger than they are today, especially in the exploitation of natural resources (forests, land, etc..). The family resides in Daro Delcò the beginning of 1600 for sure but before it seems that members of this family have resided.

  2. Heraldic Manuscripts Archives State Archives in Lugano Bellinzona

  3. Anastasi ascribes the origin of the name parts of the body: The cò = the head, of the head. We will see later that this description will appear incorrectA few words on patrician Daro

The origins of the patrician Daro are so far from being shrouded in the mists of time. In fact, in its territory judicial prehistoric tombs were found in cremation document the first known settlements in the area (ref. A. Crivelli), which was then inhabited by Roman outposts, and you know that the structures patrician descended, diversified, those of vicinia.

Already in 1173 Daro is mentioned as a hamlet outside the walls of Bellinzona (Dali de Bellinzona), which had its own autonomy: a representative sitting on the board of the Community.

With the birth of the political community, the aristocracy retained its prerogatives and the patricians their privileges against other citizens; usually the same people administered both the common and the nobility.

Sources: Patrician Swiss Federation (http://www.svbk.ch/)

Info on Patrician: Alleanza Patriziale: http://alleanzapatriziale.ch/ - Description of Patriziato of Daro: http://www.patriziato-di-daro.ch/