Switzerland, Schaffhausen, Directories, Emigration, and Genealogies - FamilySearch Historical Records

Switzerland Schaffhausen Canton



Title in the Language of the Records
Schweiz, Schaffhausen Stammbäume und Stadtadreßbücher

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1460 to 1952.

Some bleed-through of the ink may be found on pages of this collection, which may make reading the records difficult.

This collection includes city directories (various directories from 1865 to 1952) and compiled genealogies for the Schaffhausen area. The three compiled genealogies are especially valuable; they compile vital information (names, dates, and places) for Schaffhausen families and arrange this data by surname. Persons seeking information about a particular ancestor can look up the ancestor by surname and will likely add multiple generations to their pedigree.

The genealogies in this collection cover material starting as early as 1460 and go through about 1900. The city directories vary in the years covered (1865-1952); most are for the late 1800s and early 1900s.

City directories were created to enumerate the households in the Schaffhausen area. The genealogies were compiled from the available vital records to collect information about Schaffhausen families.

City directories are fairly reliable sources for a person’s address. Other information found in the entries (for example, the wife’s surname or the occupation of the householder) is only as reliable as the person who provided the information. Compiled genealogies include information usually extracted from original records; however, sometimes the data is from personal memory. In any case, the data is only as reliable as the original source (records or memory) and should be corroborated with other available records.

For a list of records by event and date currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
City directory records usually contain the following information:


 * Householder’s surname and given name
 * Householder’s street and number
 * Householder’s occupation
 * In later records, the maiden name of householder’s wife

Genealogical records usually contain the following information:


 * Husband’s name and vital information (birth, marriage, and death)
 * Wife’s maiden name and vital information (birth and death)
 * Children’s names with vital information, sometimes including “see also” references to other pages in the genealogies
 * Sometimes data for several generations of people

Searching The Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Record Type" category ⇒Select the "Record Description" category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

City directories are arranged by year and then within the year, separated alphabetically by the first letter of the surname. Earlier city directories are in Gothic typeface; later directories are in Roman typeface. To use a city directory, search for the surname of your ancestor in the main directory and in the business section (he might have owned a business in the area).

Genealogies are arranged by genealogy type (Bartenschlager Harder, Bartenschlager, or Bartenschlager-Bäschlin), then by the first letter of the surname, and finally alphabetically by surname. The beginning of each volume usually has a register, or inhalt, which is a list of the names covered. Page through to find the surname you want. There is usually a title page for the surname with the family crest before the data begins. The data is divided on a page by families; the father or husband appears first with his vital information, followed by the wife and her vital information, then the enumerated children. Sometimes you will find “see also” references that direct you to more information about the person. For example, “v. S. 34” means “see page 34,” and “vid. Pag. 59” means “see page 59.”

These genealogies are handwritten using the old German script and may at times be difficult to read. Abbreviations and symbols are also used heavily throughout the genealogies. The language used is Swiss German (for example: Junÿ equals Juni or June and Julÿ equals Juli or July).

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in German. For help with reading the records see the following wiki articles:


 * Switzerland Language and Languages
 * German Word List

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Switzerland Historic Maps
 * Schaffhausen Stadtarchiv
 * Switzerland GenWeb Project

Related Wiki Articles

 * Switzerland Websites
 * Switzerland
 * Switzerland Emigration and Immigration
 * Switzerland Genealogy
 * Switzerland - Schaffhausen

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation:

Image Citation: