Emigration from the Gaster region (canton St.Gallen, Switzerland)

The former District of Gaster is today part of the electoral district "See-Gaster". On the map below the communities of District Gaster are marked light brown. The neighbouring communities of Gommiswald and Uznach (marked light green) are also to be included in the project described below.

Map adapted from Wikipedia (original map drawn by Tschubby) under GNU license.

The Village Museum of Kaltbrunn is preparing an exhibition about migration to and from the Gaster region. For the aspect of emigration it is planned that stories of emigrants would illustrate why these people or families emigrated, what they experienced during the travel - and what happened to them in the "new world" (not implying a specific part of the world).

Consequently - if you have emigrants from the Gaster region amongst your ancestors, we would be pleased to hear from you!

To help you decide whether your ancestors may originate from the Gaster region, the surnames of all families holding citizenship in one of the above mentioned 8 communities since before 1900 are listed below:

Amden: Bachmann (a), Boos (a), Böhni (a), Böhny (a), Böni (a), Brader (a), Büsser (a), David (a), Eberhard (a), Eberle (a), Elmer (a), Fäh (a), Gmür (a), Jöhl (a), Kunz (a), Nobel (1858), Romer (a), Römer (a), Rüdisüli (a), Scherrer (a), Stoop (a), Thoma (a), Zahner (a).

Benken: Altenburger (b), Ballmann (a), Fäh (a), Giger (a), Glaus (a), Helbling (a), Hofstetter (a), Hohl (a), Jäger (a), Jud (a), Kraaz (a), Kühne (a), Küng (a), Nussli (a), Romer (a), Rüegg (a), Schnider (a), Steiner (a), Sywähl (a), Thoma (a), Thrier (a), Thum (a), Tiefenauer (a), Tremp (a), Walser (a).

Gommiswald: Bernet (a), Brändli (a), Bächtiger (a), Eicher (a), Eichmann (a), Fritschi (a), Gebert (a), Goldiger (a), Grämer (b), Hüppi (a), Kägi (a), Ritz (a), Rüegg (a), Schmuki (a), Schubiger (a), Würmli (a), Zwicki (a), Zwicky von Gauen (a).

Kaltbrunn: Brader (a), Brändli (a), Brunner (a), Büsser (a), Davi (a), Duft (a), Fäh (a), Giger (a), Hässig (a), Hager (a), Helbling (a), Hinder (a), Hutzmann (a), Jud (a), Kaufmann (a), Kleger (a), Kühne (a), Lügstenmann (b), Nussli (a), Römer (a), Roos (a), Scherzinger (a), Schmucki (b), Schön (b), Steiner (a), Thoma (a), Tiefenauer (1612), von Aarburg (1698), Wenk (a), Zahner (a), Zeller (b), Zingg (a), Zweifel (a).

Rieden: Brunner (a), Fäh (a), Helbling (a), Hässig (a), Hinder (a), Jud (a), Kühne (a), Schmucki (a), Steiner (a), Zahner (a).

Schänis: Beeler (a), Böni (a), Brunner (a), Bürgi (a), Büsser (a), Duft (a), Eberhard (a), Fuchs (a), Gerth (a), Giger (a), Glarner (a), Glaus (a), Gmür (a), Hager (a), Hofstetter (a), Jud (a), Küng (a), Riget (a), Romer (a), Scherrer (a), Seliner (a), Steiner (a), Thoma (a), Tremp (a), Weber (a), Zahner (a), Zeller (a).
Today Schänis also includes Dorf bei Schänis: Dreier (a), Eberhard (a), Eichholzer (a), Giger (a), Glaus (a), Hofstetter (a), Jud (a), Küng (a), Pfiffner (a), Schirmer (a), Schön (a), Steiner (a),
Thoma (a), Tremp (a), Zahner (a), Zeller (a), Zweifel (a).
Today Schänis further includes Maseltrangen: Eberhard (a), Fäh (a), Giger (a), Gross (a), Hässig (a), Hofstetter (a), Jud (a), Schmuki (a), Steiner (a), Tremp (a), Weber (a), Zweifel (a).
Today Schänis further includes Rufi: Egli (a), Förstler (a), Glaus (a), Gmür (a), Grob (a), Hässig (a), Hofstetter (a), Jud (a), Kölbli (a), Roos (a), Rosenast (a), Stoop (a), Thoma (a), Tremp (a), Zweifel (a).
Today Schänis further includes Rüttiberg: Giger (a), Hässig (a), Hug (a), Jud (a), Kaufmann (a), Schön (a), Zweifel (a).

Uznach: Ambühl (a), Artho (a), Blöchliger (1459), Blöchlinger (a), Bochsler (a), Boxler (a), Egli (a), Federli (a), Fries (1881), Fritschi (a), Gehr (a), Gröbli (a), Hofstetter (a), Huber (1883), Huter (a), Imper (a), Leiter (1822 / now extinct), Müller (a), Oberholzer (a), Oertig (a), Rigoleth (a), Rüegg (a), Schantong (a), Schmucki (a), Schmuki (a), Schubiger (a), Söldi (a), Städeli (a), Steinach (a), Strotz (a), Vettiger (a), Wäger (a), Wäspi (a), Wespi (a), Widmer (a), Wissmann (a), Witta (a).

Weesen: Albrecht (a), Baumann (a), Beeler (a), Bühler (a), Falk (a), Füllemann (a), Hämmerli (a), Kid (a), Klein (a), Kunz (a), Müller (a), Niederist (a), Rieder (a), Schneider (a), Stingel (a), Stössel (a), Wolf (a), Ziltener (a), Zimmermann (a).

Indicated in brackets is when the citizenship originated or was granted: only in a few cases an exact year can be given; usually only the period is listed: a for before 1800, b for 19th centrury. This information is taken from Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz, where citizenships for all of Switzerland can be checked online.

For several of the above mentioned families threads on Geneal-Forum have already been started (linked above), where available including coats of arms. You are invited to register with the forum (free of charge and without any obligation; registration is required, however, to view attachments, e.g. images) and add your information to existing threads - or, if necessary, start a new thread on your family. English is fine on the forum (in addition to German, French or Italian). Alternatively you may contact me at .


 

Further information on emigration can be found on Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet

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