Hi, fellow listers -- Those of you who are researching in Switzerland may find the following website helpful. It's the World GenWeb Switzerland Site and it's at http://www.rootsweb.com/~chevaud. It's specifically for Canton Vaud (sub-headed Sources and Methods for Genealogical Research) but also includes a lot of useful general information about Switzerland, eg. history, maps, etc. There is specific mention of Huguenot refugees who fled to Vaud after the Edict of Nantes. Apparently, each area was asked to carry out a census of the refugees (because of concerns about numbers of refugees, how to care for them, etc). Some of these records have survived and were published in two volumes in the Bullétin de la Société de l'Histoire du Protestantisme Français (1935). Most of these published records are also available on LDS film #0840625, ie. Les dénombrements généraux de réfugiés Huguenots au pays de Vaud et à Berne à la fin du XVIIe siècle (Enumeration of Huguenot refugees in the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Bern at the end of the 17th century). Note, however, that this census would have included only the latest arrivals but French Protestant refugees first began arriving in Vaud as early as the 1530's. In a later time period (c1800), the records in the "Livre d'Or des Familles Vaudoises" ("Golden Book of the Families of Vaud") may provide further research information. If your ancestors stayed in Switzerland, had citizenship and/or played a prominent role in the history of the Vaud canton, they may be listed there. This book contains info, among other things, about where particular families came from and when. The original of these records is in Lausanne but LDS has filmed it and it's on film # 0491155. Other related topics may be found on the LDS site (www.familysearch.org) under a Place Search for Vaud, Switzerland, and sub-headings such as Naturalization and citizenship or Biography or Minorities or Emigration and immigration. Is anyone out there researching in Switzerland? If so, I hope you will post info to the list. In fact, I'd like to see more info on the list for all European locations -- we've swung again lately to UK locations with little mention of other areas. Let's hear from you! Those Olympics can't be *that* riveting! This list will be here (hopefully!) long after they're gone and forgotten. (And, by saying this, I don't mean any disrespect to our Aussie friends who've put on a "really good shew", as Ed Sullivan used to say on his US television program back in the 1950's.) Andrea Subjects: Switzerland, Vaud - Naturalization and citizenship Switzerland, Vaud - Biography

I have only recently joined this list but I am sure I will find it interesting. Normally I linger on a list before replying but as I am about to go away for three weeks thought I would add something to the above thread. There also exists a comprehensive list of Swiss surnames " Les Noms de famille suisse" this also has been filmed by the LDS and the number is 0441670. The lists includes all names, not just Huguenots. I will put details of my interests on the list on my return from holiday. Roy Day, Researching Lerpiniere world-wide.

As a newcomer to the list I would like to introduce myself. I am Roy Day from Clevedon in Somerset England and I have been involved in family research for many years. I am a member of the GOONS (Guild of One Name Studies) and the name studied is LERPINIERE/LHERPINIERE which is my wife's maternal line. There are at present several trees containing the name including a mainly English branch who are of Huguenot descent - the remainder are all French based and mainly Catholic. The objective is to link all or as many of the trees as possible, As a result almost all of this research is carried out in France. At this stage I should mention that I neither speak nor write French. At present we are working in the 16th century and have still not made the link although I now believe it to be very close. Over the years I have managed to find other researchers in France to assist in this work and I also carry out reciprocal research for one or two French families with English roots. I mention the above to show that the language need not be a barrier and also to explain that because some people with a particular name are Huguenots it does not mean that this applies to all people with the same name. I am always ready to help any genuine enquiry and hold quite a lot of information but this will be enlarged apon in another mail. Roy Day.