Engelberg Parish, Obwalden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Engelberg Parish, Obwalden, 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 village of Engelberg is in the Ticino canton. It includes the villages and hamlets of Grafenort, Mülibrunnen, Niederberg, Oberberg, Obermatt, and Schwand. Engelberg sits at an average elevation of 1,020 meters (3,350 ft). It is surrounded by the Alps. -- Ruchstock to the north at 2,813 meters (9,229 ft) and also Walenstöcke at 2,572 meters (8,438 ft) -- Titlis to the south at 3,238 meters (10,623 ft) -- Wissberg to the east at 2,627 meters (8,619 ft) and also Hahnen at 2,606 meters (8,550 ft) -- Wissigstock to the northeast at 2,887 meters (9,472 ft) and also Engelberger Rotstock at 2,819 meters (9,249 ft) Engelberg (as of 2004/09) had an area of 74.87 km² (28.91 square miles). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 27.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 25.8% - forested
 * 3.7% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 43.5% - unproductive land

History
In 1122, Engelberg was first mentioned with the name of Engilperc. Prior to 1815, Engelberg belonged to the Nidwalden canton but with the signing of the Ferderal Treaty, Engelberg was transferred to the Obwalden canton. Since 1850, Engelberg has been an international vacation resort with both summer and winter sports and activities.

The population history of Engelberg is: 1709 - 678 inhabitants 1799 - 1,468 inhabitants 1850 - 1,737 inhabitants 1900 - 1,973 inhabitants 1950 - 2,544 inhabitants 2000 - 3,544 inhabitants 2010 - 3,859 inhabitants 2020 - 4,194 inhabitants

Surrounding parishes
Attinghausen (UR) Gadmen (BE) Innertkirchen (BE) Isenthal (UR) Wassen (UR) Wolfenschiessen (NW)

Church Records
Church records for Engelberg are located at the Engelberg Abbey Archive. The family registers are located at the Obwalden State Archives.

Genealogies
In the early 1900s, Ephrem Omlin systematically extracted information for Obwalden parishes and compiled these on family group pages organized by surname and parish. These are available onsite at the Obwalden State Archives. Historian Niklaus von Flüe expanded this collection; his notes are also available onsite at the Obwalden State Archives.

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

Zivilstandsamt Obwalden Brünigstrasse 180a CH - 6060 Sarnen

Tel: +41 666 35 65

email: [mailto:zivilstandsamt@sarnen.ow.ch zivilstandsamt@sarnen.ow.ch]

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Obwalden State Archives and are available through 1920. For specific information about duplicate civil registration records, see the archives' online catalog; click the + sign to the left of the folder .02.SCH.Schriften (Zivilstand).

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

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

Libraries and archives
Obwalden State Archives

Societies
Zentralschweizerische Gesellschaft für Familienforschung (in German)