Switzerland, Basel City, Local Citizenship Requests - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Schwiez, Basel-Stadt, Bürgerschafts Kontrakte, 1348-1798

Collection Time Period
This collection of citizenship requests from the City of Basel covers the years 1348-1798.

Record Description
This is a collection of extracts of requests of citizenship in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Each individual entry may include place of birth, previous place of residence, occupations, and related individuals. This collection includes an alphabetical index by last name, which provides last name, given name, and page number. These records are part of the Nachlaß F. Weiss-Frei Collection kept in the city archives of Basel, Switzerland.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in citizenship requests may include:


 * Name of person requesting citizenship
 * Place of origin or residence
 * Sometimes his/her occupation
 * Comments and further explanations regarding the citizenship requests

How to Use the Record
The most important information one can take from this record is the place of origin of the immigrant, but it is first necessary to know the place where the person requested his/her citizenship and when he or she did so.

Record History
The outflow of Swiss was balanced by an inflow of foreigners, particularly from Germany, Italy, and Austria. The communes and cantons were and are responsible for naturalization matters. Most of the foreigners came from neighboring France and Germany, while others came from Italy and other nearby countries. In order for foreigners to have the civil rights to live and work in Switzerland, they needed to apply for citizenship.

Why the Record Was Created
Local civil authorities needed to keep a record listing of all those applying for citizen’s rights by way of naturalization.

Record Reliability
This records are reliable for genealogical research.

Related Websites

 * Naturalization: Receiving German Citizenship (in German)
 * German Naturalization (in German)

Related Wiki Articles

 * Switzerland
 * Switzerland Emigration and Immigration

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of Information for This Collection
“Switzerland Basel City Local Citizenship Requests,” images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org), 2011; from Staatsarchiv Des Kantons Basel-Stadt (Switzerland). Bürgerschafts Kontrakte ,1348-1798. Manuskripten im Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, Switzerland. FHL 3 microfilm reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the following article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.