Beckenried Parish, Nidwalden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Beckenried Parish, Nidwalden, 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 the 2004/09 survey, Beckenried has an area of 24.23 km2 (9.36 sq mi). The municipality is a linear village located along the shore of Lake Lucerne. It includes the village of Beckenried with the sections known as Oberdorf, Niederdorf and Dorf.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 48.7% - agricultural purposes
 * 37.3% - forested
 * 6.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 7.9% - unproductive land

History
The first mention of Beckenried was in 1314 as Beggenriet.

The population history of Beckenried is: 1743 - 823 inhabitants 1850 - 1342 inhabitants 1900 - 1663 inhabitants 1950 - 1981 inhabitants 2000 - 2825 inhabitants

The first settlers in what would become Beckried were from Alamanni tribes that migrated into the area over 2000 years ago. During the Middle Ages, the region was included in extensive estates that were shared between Engelberg Abbey, Murbach-Lucerne and Steinen, Switzerland. The two tower houses in the village (named: Retschrieden and Isenringen) were constructed in the 13th century for two local, influential families. Ecclesiastically belonging to Buochs until 1638, it then formed its own parish. A first chapel (Heinrich's patron saint) is mentioned as early as 1323. Today's church was constructed by Niklaus Purtschert in 1792-1807.

Surrounding parishes
Buochs Emmetten Ennetbürgen Gersau (SZ) Isenthal (UR) Oberdorf Wolfenschiessen

Church Records
Church records for Beckenried begin in 1628/1800; the older church records were lost.

These church records can be accessed onsite on microfilm at the Nidwalden State Archives. The archive does not undertake family research for private researchers, but the archive will provide a list of local researchers.

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

Zivilstandsamt Nidwalden Marktgasse 3 Postfach 1244 CH - 6371 Stans

Tel: +41 618 72 60

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

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Nidwalden State Archives. The following records are viewable in person:
 * Births before 1900
 * Marriages before 1930
 * Deaths before 1960

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

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

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Nidwalden

Societies
Zentralschweizerische Gesellschaft für Familienforschung (in German)