Schild in der Schweiz

[meadowside]

Hello

Apologies, I am hoping someone can understand English as I do not speak German!!
I am trying to find out information on my grandmother - Anna Olga Schild.

All I know is she came to the UK in 1937 (Brighton) , gave birth to my mother, and then returned to Switzerland, leaving the baby behind for adoption.

I have been told that the name Schild is most common in Solothurn, Bern and Zurich so that is where I am starting my search!

It has been suggested that maybe she came to England to learn English but I cannot confirm this. I have no proof but I believe that Anna Olga was probably born between 1912 and 1920. If so she would be now be over 90 years of age if still alive.

If you can offer any help or suggestions I would be very grateful - thank you for reading.

Angela O'Callaghan

[Wolf]

If you are looking for old (since before 1800) families, Schild were mainly citizens in Canton Bern:
- Brienz
- Brienzwiler
- Guttannen
- Hasliberg
- Hofstetten bei Brienz
- Meiringen
- Schattenhalb
- Schwanden bei Brienz
plus a single community in Solothurn:
- Grenchen
After 1800 Schild families gained citizenships in cantons Appenzell-Ausserrhoden, Basel-Stadt, Geneva, Grisons, Neuchâtel, Schwyz, Vaud and Zürich (Zürich only after 1941).

Summary: if you have no information about her citizenship this is going to be the search for the needle in the heystack.

[Peter.D]

Hello Angela,

Did you already check the birth certificate of your grandmother ?
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

I strongly assume you would find there her exact name, age and birth location, which would allow to proceed with your research in Switzerland. Most probably, you should also find the adoption deed of your mother, issued by a notary public in the UK.

Peter

[meadowside]

Hello Peter

Thank you for your reply.

I think I have confused you a bit!

The lady I am looking for, Anna Olga Schild, was born in Switzerland as far as we know.

She came or was sent to England where she gave birth to my mother. On my mother's birth certificate it only has Anna's name - no other information.

Also, on my mother's adoption file it mentions "that Anna only came to England so that her people in Switzerland would not hear of the birth".

I understand that I really need to know Anna's place of origin to be able to research the Swiss archives properly.

I have been told that the name Schild is quite common in Bern/Bernese Oberland/Solothurn/Grenchen.

If you have any further thoughts or ideas I would be pleased to hear them.

[Peter.D]

Hello Angela,

If neither the registrar nor the notary public have documented more than just the name of your grandmother - what is or was only possible in the UK! - it will be practically impossible to find her roots, as Wolf already put it correctly. Have you checked if there are any immigration documents with more than just her name?

If you search for Schild in the Swiss telephone directory, you get more than 2000 entries ...

Peter

[Peter.D]

Hello Angela,

I made a short check in the Commercial Register and found that at least two Olga Schild live in Switzerland, one with Bürgerort (burghership) Grenchen, the other one with Lauterbrunnen. With some luck, the combination of christian and family name was common in those communities already in the early 20th century.
I suggest therefore that you send an inquiry to the responsible registry offices. Explain your relationship in detail and add all details you know, including the approximate birth date of Anna Olga Schild.

for Grenchen (Solothurn): Grenchen
for Lauterbrunnen (Bern): Oberland Ost

In general, you only have to pay if they find her and send you an excerpt of the register.

If both offices can't find her, come back to this forum.

Peter
- Editiert von Wolf am 20.05.2010, 10:03 -

[meadowside]

Hello

Thank you Peter and Wolf for your comments and suggestions - it does give me some places to search - although I agree Wolf that it is indeed looking for a needle in a haystack!!!!

Peter - you mention you found Olga Schild in the Commercial Register - do you mean ANNA Olga Schild?
Also what is the Commercial register?

Angela

[Peter.D]

That's the register of commercial companies incorporated in Switzerland. Both Olga Schild (without Anna) are living persons, thus probably not your grandmother. But the combination of names seems quite rare, thus it's worthwhile the try!

Peter

[meadowside]

Dear Peter

Thank you for your suggestions. I have today emailed the 2 registry offices you mentioned in Grenchen and Lauterbrunnen and will await their replies with interest!

I will let you know how I get on.

Whilst posting this reply may I ask another question? The system of registration is obviously different in Switzerland to the system we have here! Here a birth,marriage or death is registered at the main town in the area, which covers all the local villages and small towns nearby. Is it the same in Switzerland? If it is how many major towns in the German speaking part of Switzerland would I need to contact?! At the moment I have no idea!

Thank you once again for your help.

[Peter.D]

In the last decade, the civil registration offices have been regionalized in Switzerland. Thus, in your case, the office responsible for Lauterbrunnen also covers a couple of other communities where the Schild had or still have their burghership. Therefore, you would have to contact only a handful of different offices.
But worst case, Anna Olga Schild used a wrong name when she went to the notary public in England. I recently had a case where a Swiss citizen founded a second family after 1900 in England using an artificial name. Under common law he obviously had the right to do that.

Peter

[meadowside]

Hi guys

This is the reply I had from the Grenchen register office. could you possibly translate it for me please? I would be very grateful!!!! Thank you.

Der Name "Schild" gehört zu den Bürgernamen unserer Gemeinde. Allerdings können wir mit den wenigen Informationen welche Sie haben keine Person mit diesem Namen finden. Sollten Sie den Wunsch haben, bei uns weitere Nachforschungen zu betreiben, bitten wir Sie, dies auf dem Postweg (nicht per E-Mail) zu tun. Sie müssten auch den Nachweis erbringen, dass Sie mit dieser Person in gerader Linie verwandt sind. Ebenso ist eine beglaubigte Kopie Ihres Passes beizulegen. Pro halbe Stunde welche wir für die Suche benötigen berechnen wir Ihnen Fr. 35.--.

[Peter.D]

Hello Angela,

They made a first check and did not find Anna Olga Schild. They confirm that the name belongs to the burghership of Grenchen (what we already knew). If you request a further and in-depth research, you should provide the following: a formal letter instead of an e-mail, a proof of your direct descent and a certified copy of your passport. They would charge you CHF 35.- for each half hour of research (corresponding to the federal tariff).

Given the fact that Anna Olga Schild is most probably no longer living, those requirements seem exaggerated in the light of the federal laws. But I strongly suggest that you first wait for the reply from Bern.

Peter