THE WIDRIG FAMILY OF BAD RAGAZ, SWITZERLAND

The surname Widrig originates primarily from Bad Ragaz in Switzerland. Recent research (2003) also indicates that in some cases the surname may well developed from a number of other similar sounding Swiss names, which assumed that spelling. In other words not everyone who bears the name, will be descended from the original Widrig family. Over the course of the years the name has had a number of different spellings. One of the earliest Widrigs documented in Bad Ragaz was Hans Peter Widerigo, who had an influential position in Bad Ragaz as a vineyard owner and Factor. [This was an important official who collected in customs duties for the local Lord (in this case the Abbot of the nearby monastery of Pfäfers) from merchants passing through to and from Italy, and who arranged safe passage and accommodation for them.] The name Widerigo continued in that form until as late as the mid-18th century, but after that time the 'o' at the end was dropped, and the 'e' was also lost, possibly because Widrig was easier to pronounce that way. The name 'Widerigo' is almost certainly the German variant of the Italian name, Federico. A branch of this family is thought to have migrated from the Blenio valley in the Italian part of Switzerland (then part of Italy) in or prior to the 16th century. The Federico family was a large, prosperous family living not only in the Blenio valley but also in Como and Milan and Paul Widrig-Kugler has traced the origins of the family back as far as the year 1050. The Federico family continued to exist in Italy and in modern times (1929) applied successfully to the then ruler of Italy (Mussolini) to be recognised as being of noble descent. There is therefore a case for saying that the Widrigs are also of noble descent bearing in mind their probably descent from a common Federico ancestor!

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