GENEAL-FORUM

My great grandfather, Otto Wirth, born in Aarau, Aargau, in 1853 came to Adelaide in Australia in 1873. He said on his request for naturalisation as an Australian citizen that his father was Michael Wirth and his mother Barbara Webinger.
Otto fathered my grandmother.
He later married In Queensland and died in 1922.
I would love to find some Swiss relatives.
Barbara Griffith’s.

First of all - welcome to the forum, Barbara !

BarbaraGriffiths hat geschrieben: Sa 15. Feb 2020, 09:24I would love to find some Swiss relatives.

What kind of relatives - living in Switzerland today, or earlier generations, i.e. your ancestors?

Finding living relatives is, especially for a common name like Wirth, almost impossible: due to the privacy protection legislation offices are not allowed to give you any information on persons still alive. You just have to be lucky that someone reading announcements like this knows such a relative and speaks up.

Now for earlier generations: Aarau is not the ideal canton for that either - as hardly any relevant sources (like church records) are online. Filmed church records can be viewed at the Aargau State Archive.

According to the Register of Swiss Surnames a line from Hägglingen AG gained Aarau citizenship in 1870 - may well be your line. If this is the case, Otto Wirth, born in Aarau in 1853, should show up in the "Bürgerregister" (citizens' register) of Aarau and/or Hägglingen. I recommend you contact the Zivilstandsamt Aarau and the Zivilstandsamt Wohlen (taking care of Hägglingen): ask whether Otto Wirth can be identified on their register (this info is usually free of charge) and what you would have to do (and pay) to get a "Familienschein".

Get back here with any information you receive.