Switzerland Census
| Switzerland Wiki Topics | |
 | |
| Beginning Research | |
| Record Types | |
| Switzerland Background | |
| Local Research Resources | |
| Moderator | |
|
The FamilySearch moderator for Switzerland is Daniel Jones. | |
Getting Started
Time Coverage: Canton Censuses
The time periods of the census range from 1634-1750. 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.[1]
- 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.
Time Coverage: Federal Censuses
- 1798: Helvetic census; first census covering all of Switzerland, intended to provide the basis for the reform of the country's territorial boundaries.
- 1836-1838: Federally mandated census to adjust military quotas per canton as well as monetary contributions for national defense. This census took two years to complete, meaning that there may be double counting and gaps in the collection.
- March 1850: First Federal census, recording detailed information about every resident
- December 1860: Second Federal Census
- December 1870: Third Federal Census
- December 1880: Fourth Federal Census
- 1888: Federal census, used as the basis for the revision of the constituency division
- December 1890: Fifth Federal Census
- December 1900: Sixth Federal Census
- December 1910: Seventh Federal Census
- December 1920: Eighth Federal Census
- December 1930: Ninth Federal Census
- December 1940: Tenth Federal Census
- 1941: Military mobilization of May 1940
- December 1950: Eleventh Federal Census
- December 1960: Twelfth Federal Census
- December 1970: Thirteenth Federal Census
- December 1980: Fourteenth Federal Census
- December 1990: Fifteenth Federal Census. First census that was geocoded to the hectare level.
- December 2000: Sixteenth Federal Census. First census primarily cared out by post and via the Internet
- 2010 onward: Census is no longer enumerated, but is based on an annual register survey from existing data from cantonal and communal registers of residents.[2]
Information in the Census
Information varies by canton and year of census. It can include:
- names of each family member, including boarders and servants
- age and sometimes birth or baptism date
- place of citizenship
- place of residence
- occupation
- religion
- civil status
- duration of residence
Online Records
Aargau
- 1837 Aargau Bevölkerungstabellen, 1837, images, no index.
- 1850 Aargau Bevölkerungstabellen, 1850, images, no index.
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- 1634-1711 (partial coverage). The Zürich census covers part of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden. It is organized by parish and year. A more detailed article about the Zürich census can be found here.
To see what records are available for your parish, look for the parish page in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. For an example, see here.
Basel-Landschaft
- 1815-1860 Volkszählungen, 1815-1860, images, no index.
Basel-Stadt
- 1590-1803 Volkszählungen, 1590-1803, images, no index.
- 1815-1860 Volkszählungen, 1815-1860, images, no index.
Fribourg
- 1811 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1811 at FamilySearch — images
- 1818 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1818 at FamilySearch — images
- 1831 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1831 at FamilySearch — images
- 1834 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1834 at FamilySearch —index and images
- 1836 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1836 at FamilySearch — images
- 1839 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1839 at FamilySearch — images
- 1842 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1842 at FamilySearch — images
- 1845 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1845 at FamilySearch — images
- 1850 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1850 at FamilySearch — images
- 1860 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1860 at FamilySearch — images
- 1870 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1870 at FamilySearch — images
- 1880 Switzerland, Fribourg, Census, 1880 at FamilySearch — index and images
Genève
- 1816 Recensement des étrangers, 1816, images, no index.
Graubünden
- 1835-1850 Volkszählung, 1835-1850, images, no index. Links to these four censuses are available from the individual parish/municipality pages for Canton Graubünden.
Ticino
- 1808 Censimento, 1808-1837, images, no index. Links to this census are available from the individual parish/municipality pages for Canton Ticino.
Valais
- 1798-1880 Recensement Valaisan, images, no index
Zürich
The Zürich census is organized by parish and year. A more detailed article about the Zürich census can be found here.
To see what records are available for your parish, look for the parish page in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. For an example, see here.
References
- ↑ The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Switzerland,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1984-1998.
- ↑ Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, "Volkszählungen" (https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/007984/2013-07-30/ : accessed 24 August 2022)