Wolfhalden Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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

Geography
Wolfhalden has an area of 7 square kilometers (2.7 square miles). The area is used thusly:

58% agriculture 30.5% forest 11.4% settlement 0.1% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell, including Wolfhalden.

History
In 1650, Heiden and Wolfhalden couldn't agree about the control over the church. This led to the creation of a church in each village in 1652, making them independent.

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

Heiden Lutzenberg Oberegg (Appenzell-Innerrhoden) Thal (Sankt Gallen) Walzenhausen

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

Wolfhalden was established as a Reformed protestant parish in 1652 from the parishes of Grub and Rheineck. Records held by the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen), marriages (Heiraten), and burials (Toten) 1652-1875.

Family books (Familienbuch) are available, unless otherwise noted, at the Cantonal Archive for the following years:

Volume 1 (1736) - household visitation Volume 2 (1819) - household visitation Volume 3 (1820/1826) - household visitation Volume 4 (1830) - household visitation Volume 5 (1830) - citizen family register, also available here at the Family History Library Volume 6 (1834) - household visitation Volume 7 (1840) - household visitation Volume 8 (1844) - household visitation Volume 9 (1844) - household visitation Volume 10 (1852) - household visitation Volume 11 (1856) - household visitation Volume 12 (1863) - household visitation

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

Künzler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,714) Lutz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,973; see also FHL Film 193,478) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,965; see also FHL Film 193,480) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,485) Tobler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,006; see also FHL Film 193,485 and 193,486) Tobler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 962,837; see also FHL Film 193,485 and 193,486) Walser family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,486)

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Wolfhalden belongs to the Vorderland Appenzell 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]

Census Records
(see here for article describing the Zürich census records)

The following censuses are available for Wolfhalden. The they are cataloged under Thal : 1634 - FHL Film 1,185,140, item 2, beginning on page 803 1637 - FHL Film 1,185,142, item 2, beginning on page 601 1640 - FHL Film 1,185,144, item 1, beginning on page 805 1649 - FHL Film 1,185,150, item 1, beginning on page 479 1650/1653 - FHL Film 1,185,150, item 3, beginning on page 1317

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Wolfhalden 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)