Muotathal Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Muotathal Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland, ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, parish census, civil census, family history, area history, and military records.



Geography
As of 2006, Muotathal has an area of 172.2 km2 (66.5 sq mi). The village is situated in the valley of the river Muota, the Muotatal, with which it shares the name. The municipality is situated in a series of valleys on the eastern edge of the canton, on the borders with the cantons of Uri and Glarus. Muotathal is the 10th largest municipality area-wise in Switzerland. It includes the hamlet Ried, village sections of Schachen, Wil, Hinterthal (had its own post office since 1896, though it has now grown together with Schachen), and the hamlet Bisisthal in the Bisistal further upstream of the Muota. It also consists of a number of alps (alpine pastures) including Glattalp, Toralp, Charetalp, and Goldplangg. The municipality includes the entrance of the Hölloch, which at over 200 km is the longest cave in Switzerland, and currently the second-longest in Europe.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 32.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 22% - forested
 * 1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 44.2% - non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains)

History
The first mention of Muotathal was in 1246 as Muthathal and Mutetal.

The population history of Muotathal is: 1850 - 1680 inhabitants 1900 - 2221 inhabitants 1950 - 2475 inhabitants 2000 - 3507 inhabitants

The Ahaburg (foundations excavated in 1959) was probably the dungeon of a ministry around the 13th-14th century. Together with Illgau, the Muotathal was part of the six quarters of the old Land of Schwyz. Originally belonging to Schwyz, Muotathal is one of the first parishes to appear in the "old country": its creation dates from before 1281. There was perhaps a parish church as early as the 9th century, but the construction of 1369 is definitely attested. Destroyed in 1786, this church was replaced a hundred meters further east by the current construction of late Baroque style, dedicated to Saints Sigismund and Waldburga, and dedicated in 1792. The ossuary from 1469 (renovations in 1583, 1760, and 1978) recalls the site of the old church. The chapel of St. Maria in Hinterthal was constructed around 1780, and the branch church Herz Jesu in Bisisthal from 1892 to 1896.

Surrounding parishes
Braunwald (GL) Bürglen (UR) Glarus (GL) Illgau Innerthal Linthal (GL) Luchsingen (GL) Morschach Oberiberg Riemenstalden Spiringen (UR) Schwyz Unteriberg Unterschächen (UR)

Church Records
The parish of Muotathal is ancient. Records are available from 1663 for baptisms, 1693 for marriages, and 1679 for burials.

Digital copies of the church records can be accessed onsite at the Schwyz State Archives. The archive has an online inventory of the records for Muotathal.

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

Zivilstandsamt Innerschwyz Herrengasse 17 CH - 6431 Schwyz

Tel: +41 41 819 07 14

email: [mailto:zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch]

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Schwyz State Archives. Additionally, the archive has a partial inventory of its holdings. The following records are viewable in person:


 * Births before 1900
 * Marriages before 1930
 * Deaths before 1960

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Muotathal prior to 1875:

Related sources
The town's website (in German) can be found here.

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Schwyz

Societies
Zentralschweizerische Gesellschaft für Familienforschung

Historischer Verein des Kantons Schwyz