Stans Parish, Nidwalden, Switzerland Genealogy



Description: Guide to Stans 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
Stans is the capital of the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland and has an area of 11.08 km2 (4.28 sq mi). The highest point included in the borders of Stans is on the Stanserhorn and is 1,819 m (5,968 ft) above sea level. The lowest point is at Fronhofen with an elevation is 438 m (1,437 ft) and the village square (Dorfplatz) has an elevation of 452 m (1,483 ft).

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 43.7% - agricultural purposes
 * 36.5% - forested
 * 17% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 2.6% - rivers, glaciers or mountains

History
The first mention of Stans was in 1100 as Tannis. In 1124 to the 14th century, it was mentioned as Stannes/Stannis (rarely Stagnes/Stagnis).

The population history of Stans is: 1743 - 3,833 inhabitants 1750 - 4,083 inhabitants 1755 - 3,759 inhabitants 1769 - 3,754 inhabitants 1836 - 4,598 inhabitants 1850 - 1,877 inhabitants 1870 - 2,084 inhabitants 1888 - 2,458 inhabitants 1900 - 2,798 inhabitants 1910 - 2,944 inhabitants 1930 - 2,916 inhabitants 1950 - 3,992 inhabitants 1970 - 5,180 inhabitants 1990 - 6,217 inhabitants 2000 - 6,983 inhabitants

Before 1798 main and court place, 1798 first main town of the canton Unterwalden, then 1798-1803 district main town in the canton of Waldstätten. From 1803 capital of the half-canton of Nidwalden, since 1999 of the canton of Nidwalden. Stans is the seat of the cantonal authorities and administration as well as the cultural and economic center of Nidwalden. The parish church of St. Peter is the oldest church in Nidwalden. The parish originally included the entire Engelberg Valley. Around 1100, Muri Abbey held two thirds of the church property, the last third came to Engelberg Abbey in the first half of the 12th century which led to a long dispute between the two monasteries. In 1270 the church was incorporated into the Engelberg monastery against Muri's will, but the permanent incorporation failed due to the stubborn resistance of church members. In 1462 the confederate umbrella towns of the Engelberg monastery, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, granted the members of the church the right to freely choose a parish. In 1148 the patronage rights of Engelberg were separated from those of Stans. Ürten (corporations) there were further abdications from the 15th century: 1469 Wolfenschiessen (filial church since 1277), 1621 Hergiswil and 1768 the chaplainship of Kehrsiten. Today's monastery churches were built in 1625 (women) and 1683 (men).

Surrounding parishes
Buochs Dallenwil Ennetbürgen Ennetmoos Oberdorf Stansstad

Church Records
Church records for Stans begin in 1581.

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. Stans 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 Stans 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)