When the French Revolution and Napoleon reached Switzerland in 1798, all men in Switzerland aged 20 or more were required by law to sign an Oath of Allegiance to the new Constitution. The resulting lists of all Swiss men included their age, occupation, place and their heriditary place of origin and place of physical residence. As such, the Bürgerverzeichnis supplies a complete census of adult males two full generations before the first Swiss census of 1855.
Some more information:
There are 17 volumes at State Archive in Bern, containing data on all 105'000 Bernese men alive in 1798. Transcription, translation and publication in its complete version is on sale with Picton Press.
Place ---------------- Surname -- Baptismal name -- Age or year of birth -- Place of birth --- Origin --- 'Distinction' ------------ Remarks ---------------- Därstetten Andrist Isaak 1764 Därstetten Schullehrer Därstetten Andrist Michel 1758 Därstetten Munizipal Beamt. Kirchmeier Bern Andrist David 29 Latterbach Knecht Äsche Andrist Abraham 1767 Äsche Andrist Christian 1742 Adelboden Andrist Peter 1736 Wahlern Andrist Christian 44 von Laterbach, Chirurgus Thierachern Andrist Christen 1771 Laterbach Schneider Reichenbach Andrist Anton 1774 auf der Schöni Reichenbach Andrist Christian Reichenbach Andrist Hans 1749 Oberw˙l Andrist Anthoni 1773 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist David 1752 Oberw˙l andr. Helg Oberw˙l Andrist David 1771 Oberw˙l hintr. der Eggen Oberw˙l Andrist David 1760 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist Hans 1742 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist Hans 1730 Oberw˙l zu Waldried Oberw˙l Andrist Hans 1756 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist Jakob 1747 Oberw˙l im Ried Oberw˙l Andrist Johannes 1765 Oberw˙l Schneider auf dem Bühl Oberw˙l Andrist Johannes 1754 Oberw˙l Notarius Oberw˙l Andrist Johannes 1760 Oberw˙l Weibel Wellenberg Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1730 Oberw˙l dr. alt, a. dem Bühl Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1756 Oberw˙l Kirchmeier andr. Helg Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1744 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1757 Oberw˙l im Krauchthal Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1773 Oberw˙l Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1778 Oberw˙l hintr. der Eggen Oberw˙l Andrist Michael 1765 Oberw˙l jung dito Obersimmental district Andrist Hans 1749 Boltigen Tischmacher Obersimmental district Andrist Jakob 1763 St. Steffen Obersimmental district Andrist Jakob 1740 St. Steffen Obersimmental district Andrist Jakob 1754 Boltigen Tischmacher Obersimmental district Andrist Peter 1760 St. Steffen Obersimmental district Andrist Salomon 1749 Oberw˙l N˙dau Andrist David 38 Schulmeister v. Derstedten Erlenbach Andrist Barthlomee 1777 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Christen 1754 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Christen 1769 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Christen der Sohn 1766 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist David 1774 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Jakob 1740 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Jakob 1740 Erlenbach Pächsieder Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Jakob, der Sohn 1765 Erlenbach Latterbach Erlenbach Andrist Peter 1752 Erlenbach Latterbach Notes: Place physical place the registered subject used to live at this time and where it signed Derstedten today village of 'Därstetten' in Simmental Oberw˙l today village of 'Oberwil im Simmental' N˙dau today village of 'Nidau' close to Biel/Bienne Laterbach today village of 'Latterbach' in the municipality of 'Erlenbach' in the Simmental Tischmacher carpenter, table maker Schulmeister teacher Knecht valet Distinction occupation Origin Inherited place of origin (rights of citizenship)
Source: Database made out of the transcription of the list
Database setup and made available by Christoph Krämer,
Jegenstorf, for the exhibition on the Helvetic period
1798-1802 at the castle of Jegenstorf, Berne
Edited by Willi Andrist, Oct 10, 1998
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