Münchenstein Parish, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Münchenstein Parish, Basel-Landschaft, 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 municipality of Münchenstein is in the Arlesheim district and the Basel-Landschaft canton. It is located in the lower Birse valley at an elevation of 297 m (974 ft) with the river Birs flowing through. The municipality is divided into three sub-districts, Münchenstein Dorf, Neumünchenstein and Neue Welt/Brüglingen. It is bordered by the municipalities of Muttenz, Arlesheim, and Reinach, and the canton of Basel-City.

Münchenstein (as of 2009) has an area of 7.18 km² (2.77 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 15.6% - agricultural purposes
 * 24.1% - forested
 * 58.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 2.1% - rivers or lakes
 * 0.1% - non-productive

History
In 1196, Münchenstein was first mentioned by the name of Kekingen. In 1270 as Geckingen. In 1279 as Munchenstein. Münchenstein is in the Arlesheim district and the Basel-Landschaft canton.

The population history of Münchenstein is: 1497 - 100 inhabitants 1699 - 276 inhabitants 1774 - 298 inhabitants 1850 - 965 inhabitants 1860 - 1,202 inhabitants 1870 - 1,106 inhabitants 1880 - 1,257 inhabitants 1888 - 1,360 inhabitants 1900 - 1,988 inhabitants 1910 - 2,907 inhabitants 1920 - 3,634 inhabitants 1930 - 4,625 inhabitants 1941 - 5,189 inhabitants 1950 - 6,033 inhabitants 1960 - 10,345 inhabitants 1970 - 11,777 inhabitants 1980 - 11,002 inhabitants 1990 - 11,650 inhabitants 2000 - 11,702 inhabitants 2021 - 12,128 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 36.2% were Roman Catholic
 * 32.2% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.18% were Orthodox Church
 * 0.31% were Christain Catholic Church
 * 3.79% were Other Christian Church

In 14th century, the Saint-Barthélemy parish church was built. In 1529, Münchenstein adopted the Reformation and the parish included the Saint-Jacques chapel. In 1907, the Catholic parish was founded. In 1932, the Saint-François-Xavier church was built. In 2003, the Greek Orthodox church was consecrated.

Church Records
Established by the early 1400s, the parish of Münchenstein became Protestant in 1529 during the Reformation. Parish records for Münchenstein are available online from the Basel-Landschaft State Archive. The 18 volumes of digitized records include:
 * 1669-1906 Baptisms at Basel-Landschaft State Archive
 * 1669-1875 Marriages at Basel-Landschaft State Archive
 * 1669-1902 Burials at Basel-Landschaft State Archive
 * 1669-1902 Confirmations at Basel-Landschaft State Archive
 * 1695-1895 Family books at Basel-Landschaft State Archive

Census
(See here for information regarding Basel-Landschaft census records.)

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Münchenstein:
 * 1815 (images 613-625)

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

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

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Basel-Landschaft

Societies
Genealogical-Heraldic Society of Region Basel (GHGRB)