Hi Dale, You might want to consider that the Swiss spelling, especially if from Canton Bern as you mention, was GILGEN or GILGIEN rather than GILIGEN. Those are the two spellings in the 1798 *Men of Bern.* http://www.pictonpress.com/Swiss_Surnames.htm I have not researched my GILGEN line, the only name I having on it being the marriage of Benedict TRACHSEL to Anna GILGEN in 1634 at Thurnen (Muehlethuren), Canton Bern. I don't have a list of where the name held citizenship, but someone can probably provide that. I have seen the name in records of most of the villages south of the city of Bern, i.e. , Rueegisberg, Belp, Muehlethuren/Thurnen, Wattenwil, etc. Rick Saunders