Dear Shirley: How far back???? Hmmmmm.......depends on the location. But in general........(from Jared H. Suess' "Handy Guide to Swiss Genealogical Records," ~$10, published in 1978 by http://www.everton.com/ - 800-443-6325). approximate years covered type of record ========== =============== 1000's - Citizenship records ~1275 - Notarial records ~1290 - Court records 1290 - 1800 Declarations of Land Possessed 1300's - 1920 Donations for Masses for the Dead 1300's - 1700's Emigration Records 1400's - 1800's City Genealogical Records 1400's - 1800's Tithing Books 1400's - University Records 1400's - Military Records ~1525 - Protestant Parish Registers ~1580 - Catholic Parish Registers (In Catholic cantons couples often went to favorite shrines, e.g., Mariastein SO and Einsiedeln SZ to be married) 1500's - 1900's Guild Records 1549 - 1850 Records of Protestant Refugees 1600 - 1962 Swiss Surname Book (Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz) - a = 1600-1800, b = 1800-1900, c = 1900-1962 1700 - 1900 Family Registers 1700's - Records of Foreigners 1764 - Census Records - started 1764, 1798, 1811-1850 (every 15 years), 1850 (every 10 years) since 1876 - Civil Registration, but earlier in other cantons ~1810 - Family Certificates that's all I have for now...... best wishes, Dave Schmutz SwissGen volunteer (we need more volunteers - do you have access to Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz [Swiss Surnames] or Mario von Moos' Bibliography of Swiss Genealogies?) -----Original Message----- From: Eearl2@aol.com [mailto:Eearl2@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2000 1:15 PM To: dschmutz@es.com Subject: Re: [SWITZ] Church records - how far back?? Hi I just signed up for this email group and it has been fascinating. I have one question - how far back is it possible to go in finding Swiss ancestors ? I have been able to trace as far back as the early 1600's but the one resource I found stated that the pastor of the church only started keeping records about that time. Does anyone know when the Catholic Church started keeping records ?? By the way for what its worth in case someone else has already done the same search I am looking for this is as far back as I have been able to go so far Hans Graf of Baretswil Zurich - 1661 Jacob Guth Soffingen Aargu 1659 Georg Weber bn 1590 Albis Zurich ?? Micheal Horst 1732 I found info stating that there were references of Horsts in 1591 Gugiesberg and Whalein area of Schwarzenburg I haven't been able to find anything beyond the the original family who came over in 1732. Just seen to appear out of nowhere. But Micheal has been a family name for the past 200 years so I am guessing that there should be references to that family somewhere. Christian Gehman (Gauman) from the town of Shwendli near Obethal approx 1645. I have just started searching that era so have not nearly exhausted all the possible resources I have available at this point BUT was just curious when records started actually being kept and if it was worth my time contacting the various resources mentioned in Switzerland if it was going stop the same period of time I would have. Also what about prison-arrests records from the 1500-1600's ? Are they easily available ? I am guessing that those would probably be more helpful than just getting birth records. Shirley