Aristau, Aargau, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Aristau, Aargau, 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 former municipality of Aristau is in the Muri district and the Aargau canton. It is located above the Reuss river valley on the eastern slope of the Wagenrain hills. It includes the villages of Althäusern, Aristau, and Birri.

Aristau (as of 2009) has an area of 8.64 km² (3.34 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 69.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 15.3% - forested
 * 9.3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 4.2% - non-productive

History
In 1153, Aristau was first mentioned by the names of Arnestowo, Althusern and Birchi (the three sections of the municipality). Aristau is in the Muri district and the Graubünden canton. Until 1942, Aristau was part of the Muri parish.

The population history of Aristau is: 1836 - 886 inhabitants 1850 - 937 inhabitants 1900 - 753 inhabitants 1950 - 785 inhabitants 2000 - 1,197 inhabitants 2020 - 1,512 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 56.6% were Roman Catholic
 * 25.8% were Swiss Reformed Church

In 1360, the Chapel of St. John the Baptist was first mentioned. It was rebuilt in 1521, enlarged in 1734, and renovated in 1972. In 1370, the Evangelist Church was first mentioned. In 1943, the Wendelin Church was built. Aristau became the center of the Reusstalpfarrei (Reuss valley parish).

Church Records
Aristau belonged to the parish of Muri until 1942. See Muri for more information.

Census
(See here for information regarding Aargau census records.)

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Aristau:
 * 1837 (images 434-448)
 * 1850: Form A (images 516-537)
 * 1850: Form B (image 538)

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

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

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Aargau

Societies
Central Swiss Society for Family History (ZGF)