Berikon Parish, Aargau, Switzerland Genealogy

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



Geography
The former municipality of Berikon is in the Bremgarten district and the Aargau canton. It is located to the east of the Reuss Valley on a hill. This municipality is bounded by Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg, Widen, Zufikon, and Oberwil-Lieli, all in canton Aargau.

Berikon (as of 2006) has an area of 5.4 km² (2.1 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 49.7% - agricultural purposes
 * 31.4% - forested
 * 18.9% - settled (buildings or roads)

History
In 1153, Berikon was first mentioned by the name of Berchheim. In 1184 as Berchein. Over time, the name of the place changed from Berchheim to Bergheim, then to Berchan, Berkein, and finally Berikon. Berikon is in the Bremgarten district and the Aargau canton.

The population history of Berikon is: 1850 - 549 inhabitants 1900 - 701 inhabitants 1950 - 900 inhabitants 1970 - 1,593 inhabitants 2000 - 4,358 inhabitants 2008 - 4,491 inhabitants 2020 - 8,415 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 46.6% were Roman Catholic
 * 35.5% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 0.07% were Christian Catholic Church

In 1370, the Saint-Maurice chapel was mentioned. In 1856, the Saint-Maurice church was consecrated. In 1861, a parish was erected.

Church Records
Berikon belonged to the parish of Oberwil until 1861, when its parish church of St. Mauritius became independent. When it was established in 1861, it included the municipality of Rudolfstetten-Friedlisberg. See Oberwil for earlier records. Post-1875 church records, as well as the following church records, are found onsite at the Berikon parish church office:
 * Baptisms 1861-1875
 * Marriages 1861-1875
 * Burials 1861-1875

Census
(See here for information regarding Aargau census records.)

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Berikon:
 * 1837 (images 666-673)
 * 1850: Form A (images 319-332)
 * 1850: Form B (image 333)

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

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

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Aargau

Societies
Central Swiss Society for Family History (ZGF)