I would like to research my mothers side of the family, she is from switzerland, any ideas ?? I live in the UK

Answer 1

Swiss records are a little different than in most European countries when it comes to genealogy research. Because of the terraine, each Kanton developed far different recordkeeping procedures and policies. My own experience was with Kanton Jura, and there the majority of residents were French-speaking and Catholic. That made the Catholic church registers extremely valuable all the way back to 1800.

They did also have civil registers, and those are also accessible back to the 1700s on microfilm through the LDS Family History Centers.

The most interesting thing that I found is that many of the towns (communes) worked together in the 1800s to log on the mountainsides. The entire community worked and they split the profits at the end of each season. So when there were poor residents of the commune who wanted to emigrate, they could petition to the commune to have their passage and relocation costs paid by the town as an advance on their profits for the next year. In return, they gave up all claims to future profits. It is very interesting to find these records because, among other things, one of the rules was that the ENTIRE family had to emigrate...including adult children. The head of household would file the petition late in the winter, then the town voted on it and those approved would be out of town as soon as the roads down to Franche-Comte were passable. You can't get these records from the LDS and they're not on the internet, but they are kept at the Kanton Archives. So if you can find a local researcher willing to go search for you, you may hit the jackpot. When I need a researcher in a foreign country, I usually contact the Dept of English or Dept of History at the local universities and ask the department chair to recommend a student who would be willing to do some research for $10 US/hr. Amazingly, I get extremely good response.

I do know that the German-speaking Kantons have more extensive archival holdings than do the southern and western kantons. When you get to the north/northeast, the archives are extremely well-maintained and it's usually very easy to call them on the phone and find an English-speaking librarian to give you direction in your research.

Answer 2

Using the internet, your libraries, find some addresses of churches, schools, and governments in the canton or city where your mother's people lived. Write to officials, priests, historians there to inquire how or where you should go.

Answer 3

Looks like Yellow-Jelly's answer is pretty good.

My advice is RECORDS. BIRTH - gives parents, dates and places. Write to the parents towns and get BIRTH Certificates.

Use or get the Death Certificates also. Marriage Certificates. Obits are not valid records, but give useful information.

Answer 4

i'm not probable on the brink of the two come to think of roughly it. yet i replaced into nearer to my maternal grandmother than my paternal. i'm nearer to my father factor by using fact i replaced into hardly around my mom factor whilst becoming up, particularly some the human beings on my mom factor i've got not seen in years till some months in the past whilst my grandmother have been given ill and died.

Answer 5

http://www.familysearch.org >>>>free
The largest collection of free family history,
family tree and genealogy records in the world.

Personal Ancestral File (PAF) is a free genealogy and family history program. PAF allows you to quickly and easily collect, organize and share your family history and genealogy information. >>>>free

Answer 6

If you do not speak german, French, or an deep dialect i suggest you get an enterpreteur if you are going to go to switzerland. otherwise i suggest a useful website ancestry.com.

Answer 7

There are a number of web sites that will help, but i think you need to invest time and money. good luck.

Answer 8

http://www.cyndislist.com/swiss.htm

Answer 9

http://www.cyndislist.com/swiss.htm

Answer 10

try genesunited.com or the mormon genealogy sites.