Jean Jalla (1868-1935) was a prominent Waldensian minister and historian. His nearly 300 publications focus on eight centuries of Waldensian history through the publication of documents, historical events, the stories of families and individuals and collections of oral history.
His most important works include the Histoire populaire des Vaudois des Alpes et de leur colonies (Torre Pellice, 1904), which had several editions, and the two volumes of the History of the Reformation in Piedmont until the death of Emanuele Filiberto (1517-1580) (Florence, 1914) and History of the Reformation of religion in Piedmont during the reigns of Charles Emmanuel I and Vittorio Amedeo I (1580-1637) (Torre Pellice, 1936).
He felt a great interest in finding his ancestry. To give his research the greatest permanancy, he chose to write his Summaries on expensive, specially tanned animal hides.
Compare your list of Waldensian surnames with the following list of Reverend Jalla's ancestral surnames to see if you can tie in to his extensive research.
We are very grateful to the Waldensian Studies Society (www.studivaldesi.org) and the Waldensian Historical Archive (www.chiesavaldese.org/pages/attivita/archtv.php) for their generous permission to make these valuable documents available.
Caution: We have documented one line on which Reverend Jalla erred in his analysis. On the GARDIOL line, he refers to an early Antonietto Gardiol; but the notary records clearly show that there were actually two early Antoniettos, apparently uncle and nephew, who lived at the same time, and he supposed there was just one.
That is not a criticism of the Reverend. After all, we discovered that error only with the aid of the computer, and he had to do all his work by hand. That we’ve only found one such error makes his work commendable indeed.
Families Included in Reverend Jalla's Ancestral Summaries:
Note: Names in BLUE have been added to the website. Those in BLACK are coming soon.
- Appia, de St Jean
- Armand Ugon, de la Tour [Torre]
- Arnolfo/Arnoul, de Dronero et de la Tour
- Artus, de Bobi
- Balangier-Turin, de St Jean
- Barthelemi-Frache, d’Angrogne
- Bastie, d’Angrogne
- Bastie Cartera, de St Jean
- Baud, de Pral
- Bellion, de St Jean
- Benech, de St Jean
- Bertin, d’Angrogne
- Bertramo, de Villanova Solaro and Marcel, de Pontaix
- Biolley, de Morat
- Bonet/Bonnet, de Savoulx
- Boër/Bouvier
- Bozzolis / Bressano
- Brez/Bresso/Brezzo, du Villar
- Brun, de Villar St Pancrace
- Brunerol, de St Jean
- Bruno, de Villafalletto
- Cardon, de Rocheplate
- Carrà, de Méane & Mentoulles
- Chanforan, d’Angrogne
- Curt, de St Jean
- Curt alias Saviot, de St Jean
- Danne, de St Jean
- Dema & Barbero, de Bubiane
- Donneaud, de l’Arche
- Eynard
- Fetta, de Pignerol
- Frache (v. Barbarthelemi-Frache)
- Gardiol, de Rocheplate
- Gautier, de Nîmes
- Gautier, de Vars & Guillestre
- Gay, de Prarustin & St Jean
- Gaydou, de Pinache & du Taluc
- Geymonat, de Bobi
- Girard, d’Angrogna
- Girardet-Artus, de St Jean
- Girardet L’Antaré, de St Jean
- Goanta, du Villar? & de la Tour
- Gonin, d’Angrogne & de St Jean
- Gonin-Genolat, d’Angrogne
- Goss, de St Jean
- Imbert-Parise, de St Jean
- Jalla
- Long-Prim, de Pinache
- Malan, d’Angrogne & St Jean
- Malanot, de St Jean
- Marauda, de Rora & St Jean
- Marsengo
- Mehet, de Macello & St Jean
- Micolay, de Campillon
- Millano/Milano, de Cordè
- Mondon, de Bobi
- Monin, du Villar
- Musset/Muston, d’Angrogne
- Negre/Negro and Tron Families, des Clos
- Odin, d’Angrogne
- Olivet/Ulivetta, de St Jean
- Orselet, de Mentoulles
- Pastre, de Pragela & Mentoulles
- Perron, d’Oulx & Pragela
- Peyret, de Riclaret
- Peyrot, de Pral & la Tour
- Peyrot, de St Jean
- Pons, des Fontaines
- Prochet, de Villanova Solaro
- Quatte, de Virle
- Queyrus, de Bobi
- Revel-Carretera, de St Jean
- Revel, d’Angrogne
- Rivoire, d’Angrogne
- Rostan, de Pral
- Rostan, du Villaret
- Rous/Roux, de Nîmes
- Sobrero, de Luserne
- Stringat, d’Angrogne
- Tholozan, de Vars
- Turin (v. Balangier-Turin, de St. Jean)
- Vieto, de Lusernette
IMPORTANT: Reverend Jalla also wrote summaries for other ancestral families for which we do not have copies. If you find any of the following surnames among your ancestors, please inquire of the Waldensian Archives in Torre Pellice:
| Barberp | Florio de Saluces | Nicolino, de Verzol |
| De Bubiane | Gaberel de Grand Lavaynier | Olivaro, de Coni |
| Bremner Young | Gallatea de la Morra | Philip; Reymondo |
| Christie | Gortherer | Ros, de Londres |
| Couert | Martenet | Truchi, de Centallo |
| Cruikshank | Martin, d’Abriès | Vigna, de Coni |
| Decker, de Mulhouse | McLachlan | Young |