Urnäsch Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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Geography
Urnäsch has an area of 18.6 square miles (48.3. square kilometers).

History
In 831 a part of Urnäsch known as Färchen was first mentioned. The village was sold to Graf (Count) Werdenberg in 1344; the Abbey of St. Gall later acquired the land. The area became independent as part of Appenzell in 1405. The parish of Urnäsch was established in 1417 with the building of a church. Urnäsch had a devastating fire in 1641.

Locations within Urnäsch
Dürrenbach Eggli Gerstenreute Grossgarten Grünau Heusonder Hochalp Kräzerli Kronbach Moos Mühlstatt Rossfall Ruppen Saien Schönau Schwantelen Sölzer Steinfluh Sulzbrunnen Tell Teufenberg Tobel bei Zürchersmühle Urnäsch Zürchersmühle

Surrounding Parishes
Hemberg (St. Gallen) Hundwil Krummenau (St. Gallen) Nesslau (St. Gallen) Schönengrund Schwellbrunn Waldstatt

Church Records
Urnäsch was established as a parish in 1417. Records held at the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen) 1581-1875, marriages (Heiraten) 1581-1868, and deaths (Tote) 1638-1875. Family books were created in 1804, 1807 and 1822/1823, and contain entries dating in the 1700s.

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been researched for Urnäsch families:

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Urnäsch prior to 1875: Alder Altherr Ammann Bischof Bodenmann Bondt Brülisauer Buff Bühler Bürkle/Bürkli Ehrbar Engler Etter Fässler Fisch Fischbacher Frehner Frick Frischknecht Gähler Goldener Heierle Jäger Krüse Langenauer Lieberherr Meier Messmer Mettler Nabulon Näf/Naef/Nef Ottinger Rechsteiner Reutegger Roos Schedler Schefer Schiess Schmid Signer Solenthaler Staub Steingruber Suhner Tanner Vetter Weiss Zähner Zellweger (from Trogen) Zuberbühler

Societies and Libraries
Cantonal Archive of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden (in German): www.ar.ch/departemente/kantonskanzlei/staatsarchiv/