Switzerland Census

Europe Switzerland  Census

For canton Zürich there are census records available. These were originally done to make a record of the members of the Protestant Reformed church. There are also some censuses for Thurgau, St. Gallen, and a few towns from Aargau, Appenzell and Schaffhausen.

This census includes names of each family member, their ages and sometimes baptism dates. On some censuses you can find servants, boarders, places of origin and residence, occupation, religion, civil status and duration of residence. A helpful guide for these census has been compiled by the Genealogical Society of Utah. The call number for this guide is 949.4 x336. Also on microfilm. Salt Lake City  The time periods of the census range from 1634-1750. Please be aware that there will be different years available for different communities.

The first city census was taken in the city of Bern in 1764. They were taken at 15 year intervals from 1811 to 1850, at 10 year intervals since 1850. The first federal census was dated from April 1836 to February 1838 and was very incomplete. In 1841 a more general census was taken; in 1850 the census took account only of the population with rights of residence and not those actually present. In 1860 the census information was more complete and it was improved in 1870 and 1880. These records are in the state archives. Information included would be names of family members, sevants, ages and occupation.