SWISS ITALIAN SETTLERS IN THE HEPBURN REGION
The early Swiss Italian settlers came from both sides of the Swiss Italian border, particularly the Italian-speaking Swiss cantons of Ticino and Grisons, and the northern Italian provinces of Piedmont and Lombardy.
They came in significant numbers to the towns of Hepburn Springs, Hepburn and Daylesford, and to surrounding townships such as Shepherd’s Flat, Yandoit, Guildford and Blampeid. These early Swiss Italian settlers came for the gold, but also to escape the poverty and political upheaval in their home regions.
Only a few found their fortune at the diggings, but many of the early Swiss Italians stayed on because this region reminded them so much of home. They played a key part in the preservation of the mineral springs and spas which are the region’s trademark, not to mention, the early vineyards, wineries, olive groves, bakeries and dairies, and brought many cultural and culinary traditions. Most notably, they established Australia’s first macaroni factory at Hepburn Springs, and created the bullboar sausage, using local ingredients but based on their homeland traditions.
Antonio Pagliaro spoke to The Local about the lives and times of these Swiss Italian villagers.
Many of the original Swiss Italian surnames survive in the region today, and their heritage is reflected in the names of properties – Bellinzona, Genoa, Parma House, Swiss Mountain Hotel and Bergamo, and street names like Crippa, Vanina, Borsa, Franzi, Righetti, Garibaldi and Morgantis.
Achini, Adami, Adamina, Andreallo, Andriole, Anselmi, Auman, Antognini, Andonio, Apostoler, Andorio.
Badaletti, Batholomeo, Basi, Basile, Basetti, Bassinelli, Basoli, Battana, Battino, Battista, Bazzetto, Badolla, Bedoni, Belgio, Belli, Bellini, Belloni, Bennetti, Nenussi, Beretta, Berlemi, Bernardi, Bernasocchi, Bernica, Berri, Bersica, Bersigni, Berticcia, Besi, Besoita, Bestolla, Biadici, Bianchi, Bigoli, Bigona, Bindoni, Blinzonelli, Bodo, Bolardo, Bolinetti, Bolla, Bolulto, Bolinio, Bonardieri, Bonasacci, Bonchi, Bonetti, Bonguielmi, Bona, Bonnia, Bonta, Bonzi, Bordoni, Borella, Borga, Borsa, Borsica, Botazina, Bottero, Bradici, Brianoli, Brocci, Bruni, Bulotti, Bruonguelmi, Brusanica, Brustelli, Bruzza, Bruzzini.
Cabassi, Calabresi, Calanchini, Calagari, Cambagano, Campiali, Canerascini, Carnorgni, Cappi, Capuano, Carloni, Casarotti, Casarotto, Caserini, Casinelli, Cassorotti, Castellini, Cauagna, Cazarotti, Ceresa, Cerini, Cerioli, Cima, Cinna, Calino, Colla, Colmo, Colombo, Comati, Cometti, Costello, Crippa, Crosta.
Dado, Dagostino, Dalidio, Daora, Davido, Deaden, Debernardi, De-Carli, Delachetti, Deladio, Della-Pietro, Dellardoua, Delmotti, Delmue, Deldra, Dentilla, Distefano, Domenico, Delmenco, Donati, Donnini, Dorizzi, Duchini, Dugin, Dedini.
Farassi, Fasoli, Fattori, Fattoni, Fauaro, Fenacci, fenaci, Ferrari, Ferreoli, Fidello, Filirrini, Fillirrone, Finacci, Fiori, Fiorini, Foaliani, Foletta, Foletti, Formentini, Formi, Franca, Franchini, Franguoni, Franzi, Franzoni, Froli, Fumberger, Funzi, Fuseo.
Gaqqioni, Galanchini, Galbretti, Galli, Gallibretto, Gambirozzi, Gamboni, Garzoli, Gasconi, Gatti, Genazzini, Gentile, Georgie, Germano, Gentili, Gervasoni, Ghidini, Ghidossi, Ghiggion, Giacoli, Giacommelli, Giacometti, Giacomo, Giambone, Giambonini, Giani, Giaoli, Giocci, Giorgi, Giovanni, Giovannini, Giovannoni, Ginni, Givlieri, Guimini, Guipponi, Gogini, Gorgi, Gorbni, Gorio, Gresca, Gradessi, Grassi, Gudotti, Guglumina, Gugliemino, Guscetti.
Impariali, Invernizzi
Janner, Janni, Johanni.
Kelle
Laffranconi, La Franca, Lafranchi, Lanfranchi, Lafronchini, Larotti, Lavezzolo, Lavizzari, Lazzaroti, Leriche, Lesina, Levine, Lombardino, Lorensini, Lorenzo, Loretto, Lucini, Luminati, Lurati, Luratti.
Maddalena, Manganetti, Maggetti, Mantica, Maralina, Marcarini, Maratti, Marca, Marchiella, Marfellino, Marinova, Marossi, Marrritoni, Martini, Martinoia, Marzini, Mathoura, Mattei, Mattengo, Mattouri, Mazzocchi, Melaneo, Menoni, Merle, Mescheni, Milesi, Mattuori, Mazzocci, Melaneo, Menoni, Merle, Mescheni, Milesi, Miloni, Mingetti, Minolli, Minotti, Mizzini, Monette, Monico, Monighetti, Monotti, Monti, Morelli, Morganti, Morini, Morinini, Mozzetti, Musso, Muschialli, Muzzini.
Nani, Naples, Negretti, Negri, Neuroni, Nicola, Nicolo, Nimmo.
Padenoni, Paganetti, Pagnamenta, Pagrotti, Pallaseio, Pansura, Paoli, Paravicini, Pasquilini, Pata, Patroni, Pazzini, Pedzazzi, Pedrazzini, Pedretta, Pedretti, Pedrina, Pedrini, Pedrocini, Pedroni, Pedrotta, Pedrotti, Pedrozzi, Peini, Pellascio, Perini, Perinoni, Percia, Phillipini, Philliponi, Piazza, Piazzo, Pietro, Piezzi, Pifferini, Pima, Pillander, Pincini, Piseli, Plozza, Pora, Pozzi, Presa.
Quadra, Quanchi, Quarti, Quinicini.
Ramella, Ramelli, Rappaciola, Raspini, Rebbechi, Redonni, Reneri, Reniocholi, Residoni, Respini, Rezzi, Righetti, Risconi, Rodoni, Rolleri, Romassimi, Romelli, Romeo, Romondo, Ronechi, Rosetti, Rossi, Rotanzi, Rothotzi, Rovia, Rusconi.
Sala, Saligari, Salrarezzi, Salenti, Sartori, Scala, Scandoli, Scaroni, Scasciahini, Scheggia, Scozza, Scuplari, Secoroni, Selleti, Sello, Sertori, Silva, Soliva, Soncasitti, Soretti, Spesa, Strozzi.
Taglio, Tamagni, Tartaglia, Tatti, Terribilini, Tessero, Thomine, Tinetti, Titiani, Tognalini, Tognazzini, Tognini, Tomasetti, Tomasini, Tomasionoli, Tonini, Traversi, Treneari, Tunzi.
Vaieretti, Valeria, Valerio, Vanina, Vanzetta, Vautrauers, Vedova, Vicari, Visca.
Wilhemini
Yemi, Yanner
Zanett, Zanola, Zelman, Zeppelli, Zonoli