> Von: W. David Samuelsen [mailto:[email protected]] > Gesendet: Montag, 28. Oktober 2002 10:10 > > Can anyone on Switzerland side of the Big Pond help me out on this. > > A search of any families with surname Rederer and Donnitzer turned > up only one family in Wisconsin, USA - same family being researched. > > IGI was very very lacking on Rederer other than two entries showing > as being from Canton Appenzell. Dear David, according to Familiennamenbuch (http://swiss.genealogy.net/famnam-m.htm), all REDERER were immigrating from Austria or Germany during the 20th century (well - after 1898) - which I guess will be too late to be of interest (though the family could have lived in Switzerland several decades before naturalization). IGI comes up with 9 entries, incl. two males (likely the ones you are referring to) - which really seem to be a single (duplicate) entry. Data for the females go back to about 1700 in Cantons Appenzell and St.Gallen - the most plausible explanation being that the entries in IGI as well as your friend's request are based on a reading problem (or possibly writing problem when entering America). On the other hand, IGI lists Anna Magdalena Rederer, born in Igis (Grisons) - and Raetisches Namenbuch (http://swiss.genealogy.net/rnb/) lists Rederer as being mentioned in several GR villages from about 1400: these families are extinct, however, and it is not stated since when; the last mention given is 1778. The obvious first choice when looking for an alternative spelling would be Riederer (as already mentioned by Walter Boppart): they hold citizenship in several St.Gallen communities and have done so since before 1800. > ZILCH, nothing, zada, whatever the German-speaking say for nothing, > on Donnitzer. Sorry - can't add annything to nothing :-(. The nearest spelling being Tonezzer - originally Italians, gaining Swiss citizenship mid-20th century. Doenier (o-umlaut) have held citizenship in two GR comminities since before 1800 - but this spelling is fairly far fetched, and once we are that liberate, several other spellings might be equally qualified - like e.g. Duenscher (u-umlaut), again in GR. > Christian Rederer and Margareth Donnitzer emigrated from Switzerland > in 1884 with 3 children. 4th child was born in Wisconsin, USA > > Misspellings included Rederer, Dunitger, Donitger on American records. Would there be any Swiss records, which could be looked at closely - with potential spellings in mind? > Any help to help zero to correct canton, maybe even village, > considering the extreme rarity of the name Donnitzer (even Donitzer), > will be very very appreciated. > > W. David Samuelsen, helping a friend of mine (great granddau of the > couple.) Best regards - Wolf __________________ Wolf Seelentag, Ph.D. Reherstr. 19 CH - 9016 St.Gallen +41 (0) 71 - 288 51 21 [email protected]