On 17 Feb 2000 Janice Mullally <longstem5@webtv.net> wrote > I am looking for Schild Surname originally from Bern in 1700s. Janice, I quote from "Descendants of Jakob Schild of Brienz", by Anita Lee Palmquist and Lyle G. Hartman, Landenberg: A&L Genealogical Publishers, 1998. "Although the surname Schild is very common in the Brienz area, where there are hundreds of Schilds, it was not that common before 1800 in the rest of Switzerland. The three-volume "Familienbuch der Schweiz" or the English translation, "Swiss Surnames", lists all Swiss surnames (about 48,500) that existed in 1962, where they held citizenship, when citizenship began at each location, and, sometimes, where they moved from when citizenship was established at a new location. If citizenship was held before 1800, it is simply indicated by an "a" following the location. The surname Schild is listed for 35 locations. However, at only nine locations was citizenship held before 1800. Eight of the nine locations are in Canton Bern: Brienz, Brienzwiler, Guttanen, Hasliberg, Hofstetten bei Brienz, Meiringen, Schattenhalb, and Schwanden bei Brienz. These towns are all clustered aroung the eastern end of Lake Brienz. Guttanen, the most remote, is only 15 miles straight line distance from Brienz. The map on the following page shows the eight locations. The only other entry with citizenship before 1800 is Grenchen in Canton Solothurn. Schild citizenship was established in the 1800s at four locations. Citizenship was established at the other 22 locations in the 1900s." I have not checked to determine what church served Guttanen, but two churches served the other seven locations in Canton Bern. The Protestant Reformed church at Meiringen also served Hasliberg (now reachable by cable car from Meiringen) and Schattenhalb (the shady half) directly across the Aare River from Meiringen. The Protestant Reformed Church at Brienz also served Brienzwiler (usually "Wiler" or Wÿler in the church books), Hofstetten, and Schwanden. There are several of us researching the surname Schild from the Brienz area. My own ancestors began in Brienz but moved citizenship to Schwanden in November, 1692. The majority of the Schilds in the 1798 census of Canton Bern were at Brienz and the associated towns served by the Protestant Reformed Church of Brienz. There was not that much intermarriage between residents of Brienz and those from Meiringen. I think you can count on two things: 1) There were so many Schilds concentrated in this area that nobody is going to hand you your complete Schild genealogy. 2) If your ancestor was from Canton Bern, then you have only three sets of churchbooks to look at. Based on a count of the number of Schilds, search first in the Brienz church records, then Meiringen, then Guttanen. >From the current phone book, I estimate that 25% of the residents of Brienziler have the surname Schild. It is kind of like "Smith" in the U.S. If you can provide more details to the group about your Schilds, you will increase the chances you will connect with one of us researching the surname Schild. You must know more than you said in your posting. I think we have communicated on one of the boards? The second Schild reunion in modern memory for my branch is scheduled for 2001 in Hokah, Minnesota. We held the first in 1999. Some of my relatives from Brienz will represent the Swiss Schilds at the next one. Good luck in your research. Lyle G. Hartman Landenberg, Pennsylvania