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

Title in the Language of the Records
Schweiz, Schaffhausen Stammbäume und Stadtadreßbücher 1460-1952

Record Description
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.

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

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.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in most of the city directories include 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

Key genealogical facts found in most of the genealogies include 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

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the Record Type ⇒ Select the Record Description which takes you to the images. Look at the images one by one 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).

Related Websites
Schaffhausen Stadtarchiv

Related Wiki Articles

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

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should 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 Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Switzerland, Schaaffhausen, Directories, Emigration, and Genealogies, 1460-1952,” digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 28 March 2012), Genealogischesregister &gt; Bartenschlager Harder (F-G) &gt; Image 5 of 149 images, entry for Anna Barbara Biedermann, born 16 July 1817; citing Schaffhausen State Archive, Schaffhausen, Switzerland.