Updated Switzerland Research Links - 2025 Edition

ShelleWells · August 6

This expanded list of Switzerland genealogy resources is designed to help researchers at all levels navigate the unique challenges of Swiss family history. It includes links to canton-specific archives, language tools for German, French, Italian, and Latin, and specialized databases that support everything from surname research to military records.

A special thanks to @Shannon Potter Wilcox, whose original collection of links laid the foundation for this resource. For 2025, we've updated and reorganized the list to reflect new digital collections, improved access to cantonal records, and expanded language assistance tools.

Whether you're decoding handwritten parish records, exploring local archives, or seeking tools to understand historical place names, this guide will help you take the next step in your Swiss ancestry journey.

If you know of additional online resources that would benefit Swiss genealogy researchers (especially Canton databases), please share them. We’d love to hear from you. Let's continue improving and expanding this list for the community!

Switzerland General Information

Provides an overview of Swiss history, geography, and record-keeping practices. Use this category to understand the framework of Swiss genealogy, including how civil and church records are organized and where to begin your search.

Online Databases

Provide centralized platforms with Swiss records, including indexes and images. Resources here include FamilySearch, the Swiss telephone book, and surname databases useful for surname tracing and broader access.

Online Records by Canton

Link directly to digitized records maintained by individual cantons. These may include civil registrations, church records, census data, and archive search portals specific to regions like Bern, Luzern, and Uri.

Research Aids

Offer tools, guides, and resources that simplify the research process. Includes 'how-to' guides, weekday symbol charts, record interpretation help, and other utilities that support understanding Swiss and European records.

Language Assistance

Support understanding and translation of records written in German, French, Italian, or Latin. Includes translation tools like DeepL or Google Translate and resources for script, vocabulary, and grammar.

Latin

Translate and interpret Latin entries in older church and civil records. Covers common Latin words, abbreviations, and grammar used in Catholic or early Protestant documentation.

Italian

Guide research in Italian-speaking areas such as Ticino. These tools help decode Italian-language records and are essential for working with Latin-script civil registrations.

Italian Word List

German

Assist with German-language records and terminology. These resources are tailored to reading Gothic script, understanding old vocabulary, and navigating records in German-speaking Swiss regions.

French

Aid research in French-speaking Swiss areas like Geneva and Vaud. Includes word lists and historical dictionaries for interpreting records written in French.

Liechtenstein

Extend research into nearby Liechtenstein, which shares cultural and archival overlap with eastern Switzerland. Includes dedicated FamilySearch links and name books relevant for families with roots in that region.

Maps and Gazetteers

Help identify historical place names, jurisdictions, and administrative boundaries. These tools are vital for locating towns, understanding cantonal divisions, and pinpointing where records may be held.

Military Records

Identify Swiss conscription, service, or exemption records. While limited online, these resources can help locate service books (Dienstbüchlein), Red Cross POW data, or military archive access.

NOTE: We used ChatGPT to edit and sort this list.

Switzerland Research