Trogen Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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

Geography
Trogen is part of the Appenzell Mittelland district. It has an area of 10 square kilometers (3.9 square miles). The area is used thusly:

50.9% agriculture 41.1% forest 7.8% settlement .2% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell, including Trogen.

History
The first mention of Trogen was in 1168 (Trugin). The name Trogen comes from the coat of arms, showing a number of fountains (Trögen). When the canton of Appenzell divided, Trogen became the capital of the new half-canton Appenzell-Ausserrhoden. During the 16th century, Trogen, along with most of Appenzell, became well-to-do from the sale of woven and embroidered textiles; this success lasted until the Industrial Revolution.

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

Altstätten (Sankt Gallen) Bühler Gais Oberegg (Appenzell-Innerrhoden) Rehetobel Speicher Wald

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

The parish of Trogen was established in 1463. Records held by the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen) 1570-1875; marriages (Heiraten) 1637-1669 and 1681-1875; and deaths (Tote) 1636-1875. The church book volumes 1570-1681 and 1681-1743 are in disarray and not filmed chronologically. The approximate order is: Volume 1 (1570-1681): baptisms 1579-1669; baptisms/marriages/deaths 1669-1672, baptisms/marriages 1672-1678, deaths 1664-1680, baptisms 1678-1681, marriages 1643-1668, deaths 1643-1663, deaths 1636-1642, marriages 1636-1642, marraiges 1668, deaths 1642-1643, marriages 1669-1680 (loose pages) Volume 2 (1681-1743): marriages (loose pages) 1669-1680, baptisms 1681-1743, deaths 1744-1750, marriages 1681-1750, deaths 1681-1743.

The following family books (Familienbuch) were established for the parish of Trogen: Volume 1 (1757-1760) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volumes 2-3 (1783) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volumes 4-5 (1789) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 6 (18th century) - family register, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 7 (19th century) - family trees for surnames of Trogen, held in the Cantonal Archives Volume 8 (1800-1840) - family register of citizens, held in the Cantonal Archives Volume 9 (19th century) - family register, for citizens, held in the Cantonal Archives Volume 10 (1828) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 11 (1834) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 12 (1841) - family register of citizens, held in the Cantonal Archives Volume 13 (1844) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 14 (1848) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 15 (1850) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen Volume 16 (1850) - emigration book, held in the Cantonal Archives Volume 17 (1852) - household visitation, held in the rectory in Trogen

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been published for Trogen families:

Altherr family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,467) Bruderer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,011; see also FHL Film 193,469) Eisenhut family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,470) Eugster family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,028; see also FHL Film 193,471) Lutz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,973; see also FHL Film 193,478) Näf/Naef/Neff family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,035; see also FHL Film 193,480) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,965; see also FHL Film 193,480) Rechsteiner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,559; see also FHL Film 193,481) Schiess family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,044; see also FHL Film 193,483) Schirmer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,483) Schmid family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,181,674) Sturzenegger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,485) Walser family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,486) Zellweger family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,008) Zuberbühler family, by Julis Billeter (FHL Film 128,036)

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

Zivilstandsamt Mittelland A.Rh. Postfach 144 CH - 9055 Bühler AR

Tel: +41 71 791 70 91

email: [mailto:za@buehler.ar.ch za@buehler.ar.ch]

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Trogen 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)