Lauerz Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland Genealogy

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



Geography
As of 2006, Lauerz has an area of 9.2 km2 (3.6 sq mi). The village of Lauerz is located on the south shore of Lake Lauerz (Lauerzersee). The municipality includes the village of Lauerz and a number of scattered farmhouses between the northern slope of the Rigi mountain and the lake. Also within the municipality, is a section of the lake, together with both of its islands, Schwanau and Roggenburg.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 44.7% - agricultural purposes
 * 35.7% - forested
 * 4.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 15.5% - non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains)

History
The first mention of Galgenen was in 1229 as Galgênne.

The population history of Galgenen is: 1850 - 1343 inhabitants 1900 - 1410 inhabitants 1950 - 2299 inhabitants 2000 - 3927 inhabitants

The parish church of St. Martin and Nicholas was first recorded in 1275. A new church was built in 1472-75, then underwent major transformations in 1689. Architect Hans Konrad Stadler directed the building of today's church in 1822-26. In 1355, the collation rights were owned by Gottfried of Habsburg-Laufenburg, who sold them to the dukes of Austria in 1358. Duke Frederick of Austria having been banished from the Empire, Emperor Sigismund took back these rights; between 1417 and 1424, he gave them to Ital Reding the Elder of Schwyz. The parish benefice remained in the hands of the Reding family until 1809, who also furnished the clergyman in Galgenen from 1707 onwards. In 1809, the collation rights were bought back by the parishioners for the sum of 3800 florins. The St. Jost chapel on the old country road (Obergasse) was first mentioned in 1362; consecrated in 1398, and transformed in 1622-1623. In 1927, despite some resistance, a new parish was established for Siebnen-Galgenen.

Surrounding parishes
Arth Gersau Ingenbohl Steinen Steinerberg Schwyz

Church Records
The parish of Lauerz was established in 1600. Before 1600, Lauerz belonged to the parish of Schwyz. Records are available from 1788 for baptisms, 1815 for marriages, and 1731 for burials.

Digital copies of the church records can be accessed onsite at the Schwyz State Archives. The archive has an online inventory of the records for Lauerz.

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

Zivilstandsamt Innerschwyz Herrengasse 17 CH - 6431 Schwyz

Tel: +41 41 819 07 14

email: [mailto:zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch]

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Schwyz State Archives. Additionally, the archive has a partial inventory of its holdings. The following records are viewable in person:


 * Births before 1900
 * Marriages before 1930
 * Deaths before 1960

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

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

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Schwyz

Societies
Zentralschweizerische Gesellschaft für Familienforschung

Historischer Verein des Kantons Schwyz