What Is The Best Way To Find My Ancestors They Are From Switzerland?

Question:

What Is The Best Way To Find My Ancestors They Are From Switzerland?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Switzerland is a little different than other countries. Because of the terrain and the political issues of the 1700s/1800s, the records are not in one central national archives. Instead, each kanton is independent of the others and keeps their own records. Additionally, because of the terrain and the bizarre political history, each kanton has its own official language or languages. Nothing about Jura, for instance, remotely resembles Uri. Jura bounced back and forth between Swiss and French control Uri is completely German. Jura used French laws and French record-keeping standards, including the official records being kept by the village priest. Uri developed independently of the others and has civil registers and military records.

The other oddity that you'll run into is how people were given permission to leave for another country. In the west, they lived in communes and those wishing to emigrate literally had to be voted on by their fellow villagers and given the money from community funds to leave. The commune made their travel arrangements, got their French visas in Belmont, paid their train and ship passage, paid their housing in LeHavre and New York, and even told them which town they'd relocate to in the US or Canada and prepaid for a year's housing for them until they got on their feet. The eastern kantons were completely different.

As a result, the best way to approach it is to first figure out if your ancestors were French, German or Italian Swiss. Then figure out which area they left in order to immigrate. Much will come from finding out which port they left. The western areas tended to leave from LeHavre/Southampton. The northern areas usually left from Rotterdam or Hamburg. The southeastern areas usually left from an Italian or Austrian port (generally Trieste). If they were from a rugged area, the records are very localized. If they were from one of the major cities, the civil registers and electoral rolls are the easiest ways to research.

From there, look for their religion after they immigrated. If they were Evangelical, Lutheran or Catholic, there are extensive records in the LDS film collection. It's the Calvinists who will give you fits. If they were Anabaptists, there are extensive biographies on them, both in North America and Europe.