GENEAL-FORUM

Hello,

One of my ancestors was Schertorio de Turriani, who migrated in 1738 with his wife and family to Virginia from Soglio, in what today is Grisons Canton, Switzerland.

More can be found about this migration at http://www.family-history-greatgrandparents.info/, and then clicking George Torian, and then going to the end of the article.

I am wondering if anyone participating in this forum has any ancestral connection with Schertorio de Turriani. If yes, I would very much like to communicate with you.

Richard Torian
Frederick, Maryland, USA
rltorian@msn.com
- Editiert von Wolf am 13.06.2010, 10:29 -

Torriani have been citizens of Soglio since before 1800 (Turriani not being mentioned in the Register of Swiss Surnames) - and with no exact spelling of names during 18th century, a connection is quite plausible.

The most famous family member in recent times will likely be Vico Torriani, singer and actor (1920-1998).

Torriani have been citizens of other communities since before 1800, however: Mendrisio, Rancate and Torre - all in canton Ticino.

Nevertheless not a very common name - only some 150 entries in the telephone directory (all Switzerland).

Thank you very much for your response. The information in it is very useful.

Is there any way of determining whether the 150 telephone directory Torriani entries are concentrated in one or more cantons?

Also, is it possible that Torriani is a Swiss spelling, whereas in Italy, the spelling would more likely be Turriani? And, if so, why?

Victor Torriani’s biography is on IMDb, at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0868909/.

I would be very interested in communicating with any Swiss family historian that has researched Torrianis back to the 1600 and 1700s.

Again, thanks,
Richard Torian
Frederick, Maryland, USA
rltorian@msn.com

Original von richardt
Is there any way of determining whether the 150 telephone directory Torriani entries are concentrated in one or more cantons?

Just check yourself: http://tel.search.ch/index.en.html
Type in the name and select individual cantons to get the numbers for the selected canton. Keep in mind that company entries will often be some kind of duplicate, as owners will likely also have a private phone number.

Original von richardt
Also, is it possible that Torriani is a Swiss spelling, whereas in Italy, the spelling would more likely be Turriani?

As mentioned before: spelling was not fixed in earlier times - could change in the same village (e.g. different people writing church records) - but obviously the risk of spelling differences increased with people moving around - not necessarily between Italy and Switzerland - but could be.

Is someone able to give details about Jean Torriani who was in Genova
as (patissier?) about 1860-1870??
I would appreciate it!!
see in the pictures on
http://www.badrutt.org/PiBa-3-Genalogie-9000.htm

Thank you in advance!
Pierre

Hi Wuff,

Thank you again for your responses. They have been useful.

From the phone directory database, certainly many more Torrianis live in Ticino Canton than any other.

Maybe one day I will get a chance to return to Europe. I hope so. I use to live in Frankfurt, from 1980 to 1984.

Richard Torian
Frederick, Maryland, USA

Allegra Pierre,

I like your website. Some great photographs. Thanks for providing a link to it.

Richard Torian
Frederick, Maryland, USA