Zürich Census

Bevölkerungsverzeichnisse der Synode Zürich
Population Registers of the Zürich Synod

The purpose of these population registers was originally to record the Protestant Reformed Church membership in the parishes of the Synod of Zürich, Switzerland. This included the Zürich, Rheintal, Oberthurgau, Unterthurgau, Frauenfeld, and Eglisau chapters which are located primarily in the Cantons of Zürich, Thurgau, and Sankt Gallen, with a few communities in Schaffhausen, Aargau, and Appenzell.

Approximately every three years lists of the members of all family households and those in Church service were made and sent in to the rector (Antistes) in Zürich. In addition to the names of each member of the household, ages, and often exact baptism dates are given, especially for the children, but often for the parents as well.

Some special lists were made for certain years showing emigrants, poor, school children, teachers, Anabaptists, and Catholics. Other records included all of the inhabitants in these communities.

The inventory only shows the main parish towns. Included with each town may be several smaller villages which belonged to the parish at the time the register was taken. Many of these assigned villages remained the same throughout the time period, but in others, changes occurred over the years, and it would be well to check nearby parishes for a particular villages.

Generally the page numbers at the bottom of each page of text were followed. The text of the original records is in German. The spellings of names of towns and villages may vary throughout the time period of the records. Modern spellings have been used in the inventory.

The inventory for these census records has been compiled by the Genealogical Society of Utah. The call number for this guide is 949.4 x336. It also available on microfilm  The time periods of the census range from 1634-1750. Please be aware that there will be different years available for different communities.