Wald Parish, Appenzell, Switzerland Genealogy

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Geography
Wald has an area of 6.8 square kilometers (2.6 square miles). This area is used thusly:

66% agriculture 28.4% forest 5.4% settlement .1% non-productive

Click for a geographical map of Appenzell, including Wald.

History
The parish of Wald was established in 1686 from the parishes of Trogen and Heiden.

Locations within Wald
Bärloch Bernsoll Birli Brettwald Bühel Ebne Erbskraut Eschen Fahrenschwendi Falkenhorst Girtannen Grauenstein Grund Grunholz Hofgut Höfli Höhe Hörli Langenegg Loch Nageldach Neuret Nord Obergaden Rechberg Reutiweid Säge Schachen Scheiben Spitz Tanne Tannenweidli Töbeli Wald Wannen Wies Zelg

Surrounding Parishes
Click for a map showing Wald in relation to the rest of Canton Appenzell.

Heiden Oberegg (Appenzell-Innerrhoden) Rehetobel Trogen

Church Records
The parish records for Wald are now available online from the Appenzell State Archives. They are organized by volume. Click to access these records.

Wald was established as an independent Reformed parish in 1687 from the parishes of Trogen and Heiden. Records held by the Family History Library include baptisms (Taufen), marriages (Heiraten), and deaths (Tote) from 1687-1875. Family books (Familienbuch) exist for Wald for the following years. Unless otherwise indicated, they are housed at the parish rectory in Wald.

Volume 1 (1819) - household visitation Volume 2 (1821) - household visitation Volume 3 (1823) - household visitation Volume 4 (1826) - household visitation Volume 5 (1830) - household visitation Volumes 6-11 (19th century) - Family register of citizens Volumes 12-15 (19th century) - Family register of non-citizen residents Volume 16 (1835) - Family register of citizens, held in the Cantonal Archive in Herisau

Genealogies
(see here for article describing Swiss compiled genealogies)

The following genealogies have been researched for Wald families:

Altherr family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,467)Bruderer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,011; see also FHL Film 193,469) Eisenhut family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 193,470)Eugster family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 128,028; see also FHL Film 193,471) Künzler family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,714) Lutz family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,973; see also FHL Film 193,478) Niederer family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 127,965; see also FHL Film 193,480) Rechsteiner family, by Julius Billeter (FHL Film 1,183,559; see also FHL Film 193,481)

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Wald belongs to the Vorderland Appenzell civil registration district. Records are only available in Switzerland. For further information, contact the civil registry office at:

Zivilstandsamt Vorderland Appenzell Ausserrhoden St. Gallerstrasse 9 Postfach 13 CH - 9038 Rehetobel

Tel: +41 71 878 70 20

email: [mailto:jeannette.eisenhut@rehetobel.ar.ch jeannette.eisenhut@rehetobel.ar.ch]

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Wald prior to 1875: Ahorn (Anhorn) Altherr Bänziger Beck (extinct) Bodmer Bruderer Buff Buss Eisenhut Engler Eugster Frischknecht Kellenberger (extinct) Lendenmann Locher Nänni Niederer Rechsteiner Schefer Schläpfer Sonderegger Spiess Stäheli Tanner Walser Würzer Zürcher

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

Societies and Libraries
Cantonal Archive of Appenzell-Ausserrhoden (in German)