Wald Parish, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland Genealogy

Guide to Wald Parish, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.



Geography
Wald has an area of 6.8 square kilometers (2.6 square miles). This area is used thusly:

66% agriculture 28.4% forest 5.4% settlement .1% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, including Wald.

History
The parish of Wald was established in 1686 from the parishes of Trogen and Heiden.

Surrounding Parishes
Click for a map showing Wald in relation to the rest of Canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden.

Heiden Oberegg (Appenzell Innerrhoden) Rehetobel Trogen

Church Records
The parish records for Wald are now available online from the Appenzell Ausserrhoden State Archives. They are organized by volume. Click here to access these records.
 * 1418-1996 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Wald was established as an independent Reformed parish in 1687 from the parishes of Trogen and Heiden. Records held by the FamilySearch Library include baptisms (Taufen), marriages (Heiraten), and deaths (Tote) from 1687-1875. Family books (Familienbuch) exist for Wald for the following years. Unless otherwise indicated, they are housed at the parish rectory in Wald.

Volume 1 (1819) - household visitation Volume 2 (1821) - household visitation Volume 3 (1823) - household visitation Volume 4 (1826) - household visitation Volume 5 (1830) - household visitation Volumes 6-11 (19th century) - Family register of citizens Volumes 12-15 (19th century) - Family register of non-citizen residents Volume 16 (1835) - Family register of citizens, held in the Cantonal Archive in Herisau

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been researched for Wald families:

Altherr family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 193,467) Bruderer family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 128,011; see also FS Library Film 193,469) Eisenhut family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 193,470) Eugster family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 128,028; see also FS Library Film 193,471) Graf family, by Julius billeter (FS Library Film 193,473) Künzler family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 1,183,714) Lutz family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 127,973; see also FS Library Film 193,478) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 127,965; see also FS Library Film 193,480) Rechsteiner family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 1,183,559; see also FS Library Film 193,481) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 193,485) Walser family, by Julius Billeter (FS Library Film 193,486)

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Wald belongs to the Vorderland civil registration district. Records are only available in Switzerland. For further information, contact the civil registry office at:

Zivilstandsamt Vorderland Appenzell Ausserrhoden St. Gallerstrasse 9 Postfach 13 CH - 9038 Rehetobel

Tel: +41 71 878 70 20

email: [mailto:jeannette.eisenhut@rehetobel.ar.ch jeannette.eisenhut@rehetobel.ar.ch]

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Appenzell Ausserrhoden State Archives. Duplicate registers include Both A and B registers as well as Family registers. The records are restricted for 120 years from the date of the event. The following volumes are available in person at the Appenzell Ausserrhoden State Archives:

Register A
 * Births volume 1 (1876-1890)
 * Births volume 2 (1890-1906)
 * Births volume 3 (1906-1931)
 * Births volume 4 (1931-1961)


 * Marriages volume 1 (1876-1906)
 * Marriages volume 2 (1906-1952)
 * Marriages volume 3 (1952-1961)


 * Deaths volume 1 (1876-1896)
 * Deaths volume 2 (1897-1938)
 * Deaths volume 3 (1939-1961)

Register B
 * Births 1876-1911
 * Marriages 1876-1911
 * Deaths 1876-1911

Family Registers
 * Volume I: Nr. 1-392 (1798-1840)
 * Volume II: Nr. 393-771 (1840-1875)
 * Volume III: Nr. 393-771 (1876-1905)
 * Volume IV: Nr. 1-400 (1905-1951)
 * Volume V: Nr. 1-400 (1876-1946)
 * Volume VII: Nr. 1-308 (1947-1956)


 * Index, volumes I-II (1798-1875)
 * Index, volume III (1876-1905)
 * Index, volumes I-III (1798-1905)
 * Index, volumes IV-V (1905-1946)
 * Index, volume VII (1947-1956)
 * Index, volumes IV-VIII (1905-1960)
 * Index, volumes VI-VIII (1940-1960)

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Wald prior to 1875:

Related Sources
The town's website (in German) can be found here.

Societies and Libraries
Cantonal Archive of Appenzell Ausserrhoden (in German)