Switzerland Church Records

For information about records for non-Christian religions in Switzerland, go to the Religious Records page.

Definition
Church records (parish registers, church books) are an important source for genealogical research in Germany before civil registration began. They recorded details of baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials. The vast majority of the population was mentioned. In addition, church records can contain financial account books, (the record charges for toll bells, fees for masses for the dead, and so on), lists of confirmation, penance register communion lists, lists of members and family books.

You will need to know the religion of your ancestors, as different religions kept separate records. The main religious division in Switzerland was between Catholics (Katholische or Catholique) and Reformed Protestants (Reformierte or Réformée). Catholic records are usually written in Latin or the local language, while other records will be written in the local language.

In Switzerland, the local church records also functioned as registries of the citizens of the parish. For more information about citizenship in Switzerland, click here.

History
The practice of keeping parish registers evolved slowly.
 * The earliest Reformed churches began recording baptisms around 1520. Because it took decades for the Reformation spread across Switzerland in the 1500s, commencement dates may vary. By 1650 most Reformed parishes began keeping records.
 * Catholic parish records were mandated by the Council of Trent in 1563.

Time
Protestants first required the recording of baptisms and marriages in 1525; Catholics in 1563 at the Council of Trent. However, many of the early church records have been lost. The records can be written in German, Latin, French, Italian, or Romantsch.

Denominations


Generally church records exist for the following denominations:


 * Reformed (Reformierte Kirche/Eglise réformée) 1525-
 * Roman Catholic (Katholische Kirche/Eglise catholique) 1565 (1481)-
 * Swiss Baptist/Mennonite (Wiedertäufer, Mennoniten/Eglise baptiste, Eglise mennonite) 1622-
 * Brethren (Brüder/Herrnhuter) 1661-
 * Jews (Jüdische Gemeinde/Congrégation Juive) 1759-
 * Free Churches (Freie Kirchen) 1817-
 * Russian Orthodox Church (Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche) 1817-
 * Methodists (Methodisten) 1856-
 * Christian Catholic (Christkatholische Kirche) 1872-

Other churches in Switzerland prior to 1900: Seventh-day Adventists (Adventisten vom 7. Tag), Swedenborgian (Schwedenborgianer), Anglicans (Anglikaner), Society for Propagation of the Gospel (Gesellschaft zur Ausbreitung des Evangeliums), Scottish Presbyterian Church (Schottische Presbyterianer Kirche)

Types of church records:

 * Baptisms, marriages, burials, confirmations
 * Lists of communicants
 * Family registers (soul registers)
 * Lists of ministers in the parish
 * Church council minutes
 * Notations about those who have fallen away, i.e. Anabaptists
 * Church censuses, membership lists
 * Church consistory minutes
 * Annual masses for the dead

Content of Baptism Records

 * Name of child
 * Baptism date
 * Parents names, possibly residence and occupation of father
 * Witnesses names, possibly relationship, residence, and occupation

Content of Confirmation Records

 * Date of confirmation
 * Name of pastor
 * Name of confirmed person
 * Residence
 * Birth date

Content of Marriage Records

 * Date of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom, occupation and locality
 * Residence and notations
 * Emigration notation

Content of Death Records

 * Dates of death and burial
 * Name of deceased
 * Home place
 * Age in years, months, and days
 * Name of person performing funeral service
 * Cause of death

Content of Family Register

 * Parents' names, birth dates, and birth places
 * Parents' marriage date
 * Children's names and birth dates
 * Children's marriage dates and spouse names

Online Collections
This map shows which records for Switzerland are available outside of the Swiss archives:
 * dark green: records are available online, either at FamilySearch or at the canton archive website
 * light green: some records are available online at FamilySearch
 * brown: records are available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah

Church Records by Canton

 * Aargau (AG)
 * Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR)
 * Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI)
 * Basel-Landschaft (BL)
 * Basel-Stadt (BS)
 * Bern (BE)
 * Fribourg (FR)
 * Genève (GE)
 * Glarus (GL)
 * Graubünden (GR)
 * Jura (JU)
 * Luzern (LU)
 * Neuchâtel (NE)
 * Nidwalden (NW)
 * Obwalden (OW)
 * Sankt Gallen (SG)
 * Schaffhausen (SH)
 * Schwyz (SZ)
 * Solothurn (SO)
 * Thurgau (TG)
 * Ticino (TI)
 * Uri (UR)
 * Valais (VS)
 * Vaud (VD)
 * Zürich (ZH)
 * Zug (ZG)

Microfilmed/Digitized Records
Several parish records have been microfilmed and are currently being digitized. Eventually, all of them will be digitized, so check back frequently. Instructions:


 * 1) Click on this link for the Switzerland FamilySearch Catalog.
 * 2) A list "Places within Switzerland" will open. Click on the appropriate canton.
 * 3) Open the list of places within the canton. Select your town.
 * 4) A list of record categories will open up. Click on "Church records".
 * 5) A list of available records will appear. Click on the record title you are interested in searching.
 * 6) Scroll down to the list of microfilm numbers. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

Writing for Records
{|
 * These letter writing guides will help you write to local parishes in the appropriate language:
 * These letter writing guides will help you write to local parishes in the appropriate language:


 * Germany Letter Writing Guide
 * Italy Letter Writing Guide
 * French Letter Writing Guide

Language Map of Switzerland

 * }

Reading the Records

 * Reading German Handwritten Records
 * Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters
 * Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent
 * Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents
 * Old German Script
 * Part 1
 * Part 2
 * Part 3 (German Church and Civil Records)
 * Reading French Handwritten Records
 * Lesson 1: The French Alphabet
 * Lesson 2: Key Words and Phrases
 * Lesson 3: Reading French Records
 * Reading Italian Handwritten Records:
 * Lesson 1: The Italian Alphabet
 * Lesson 2: Words and Phrases
 * Lesson 3: Reading Italian Records

Search Strategy
This search strategy will help you determine what to write for. Limit tour requests to just one of these steps at a time. Once you have established that the parish is cooperative and perhaps more willing to do more extensive research (for a fee), you might be able to ask them for more at a time.


 * Search for the relative or ancestor you selected.
 * When you find his birth record, search for the births of his brothers and sisters.
 * Next, search for the marriage of his parents. The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents.
 * You can estimate the ages of the parents and determine a birth year to search for their birth records.
 * Search the death registers for all known family members.
 * Repeat this process for both the father and the mother, starting with their birth records, then their siblings' births, then their parents' marriages, and so on.
 * If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.