Herisau Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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Geography
Herisau is in the former district of Hinterland. It lies at the crossing point of two major routes through Eastern Switzerland: the Sankt Gallen-Toggenburg road and the Gossau-Appenzell road. Currently about 33% of the entire population of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden lives in Herisau. Herisau has an area of 25.2 square kilometers (9.7 square miles). This area is used thusly:

56.8% agriculture 27.1% forest 15.5% settlement 0.6% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell, including Herisau.

History
Herisau was first mentioned in 837 as Herinisauva; its church was first mentioned in 907. The town was destroyed numerous times (1084, 1248, and 1249), and in 1401 Herisau joined an alliance with other parishes in Appenzell as part of the Appenzell Wars, obtaining marginal independence in 1433. In 1517/1518, Herisau bought its freedom from the monastery of Sankt Gallen. In 1580, the current church was built. In 1606, the town was destroyed by a fire. The town is the capital of the half-canton of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden; between 1798 and 1803, Herisau was the capital of the French-established canton of Säntis.

Before 1648, Herisau controlled about twice the land area as is currently part of the parish. In 1648, Schwellbrunn became independent, followed by Waldstatt in 1720.

The population of Herisau was at 3,021 in 1667. By 1734, it had increased to 4,816. It continued to grow, reaching 5,933 in 1780; 6,863 in 1813; 7,014 in 1830, 8,387 in 1850, and 9,705 in 1870. By 1900, the population was 13,497, with 12,426 of those being Swiss citizens.

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

Degersheim (Sankt Gallen) Flawil (Sankt Gallen) Gossau (Sankt Gallen) Hundwil Sankt Gallen (Sankt Gallen) Schwellbrunn Stein Waldstatt

Church Records
The parish records for Herisau are now available online from the Appenzell State Archives. They are organized by volume. Click here to access these records.

The protestant parish of Herisau is an ancient one, being first mentioned in 907. Records held by the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen) 1583-1875, marriages (Heiraten) 1583-1688 and 1718-1875, and deaths (Tote) 1671-1875. Additionally, the parish records include marriage banns (Proklamationen) 1829-1860 and confirmations (Konfirmanden) 1855-1875.

The following family books (Familienbuch) for Herisau are found at the Cantonal Archive in Herisau, Switzerland:

Volumes 1-5 (1834) - family register of citizens Volumes 6-13 (1830) - family register of non-citizen residents

The Cantonal Archive also contains the following materials on Herisau: (18th century) - index of excluded citizens (18th century) - index of citizens (18th century) - index of non-citizen residents (19th century) - master lists of citizens' families

There are also printed directories of houses, including owners, for Herisau for the years 1800, 1822, 1843, and 1875; these are available at the Cantonal Archive.

In 1856, a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in Herisau; records available include membership records 1856-1896.

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been researched for Herisau families:

Alder family, by Gottlieb Büchler (FHL Film 962,790) Baumann family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,467)Berweger family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105)Binder family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105) Bondt family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,469) Diem family, by Gottlieb Büchler (FHL Film 962,790; see also FHL Film 193,470) Frehner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,007; see also FHL Film 193,471) Frischknecht family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,966; see also FHL Film 193,471) Frischknecht family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,471) Frischknecht family, by Julius BIlleter (FHL Film 824,231; see also FHL Film 193,471) Hug family (FHL Film 193,475) Keller family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,971; see also FHL Film 193,476) Knellwolf family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105)Kündig family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa holzer (FHL Film 128,105) Lutz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,973; see also FHL Film 193,478)Meier family, by Gubler Heinrich Rotach (FHL Film 1,181,508) Merz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,040; see also FHL Film 193,479) Merz family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,479) Mock family, by Gottlieb Büchler (FHL Film 973,013) Müller family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Films 128,042 and 128,043) Näf/Nef family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,035; see also FHL Film 193,480) Näf family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,480) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,965; see also FHL Film 193,480) Preisig family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,080) Preisig family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,084) Ramsauer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 282,487; see also FHL Film 193,481) Rutz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,482) Schiess family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,044; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schiess family, by Gubler Heinrich Rotach (FHL Film 1,181,508; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schlumpf family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105) Schmid family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,181,674; see also FHL Flim 193,483) Schoch family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,986; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schoch family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,009; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schoch family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,483) Signer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,484) Steiger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,224,632) Stricker family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,485) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,485) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 282,487; see also FHL Film 193,485) Tanner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,114) Zeller family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105) Zellweger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,008; see also FHL Flim 193,488) Zellweger family, by Julius Billeter and Rosa Holzer (FHL Film 128,105; see also FHL Film 193,488) Zuberbühler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,036; see also FHL Film 193,488)

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

Zivilstandsamt Hinterland App. A. Rh. Poststrasse 6 CH - 9102 Herisau

Tel: +41 71 354 54 35

Email: [mailto:zivilstandsamt@herisau.ar.ch zivilstandsamt@herisau.ar.ch]

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Herisau 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)