| ![Show Contents]() Swiss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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 Germany The surname Swiss is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came. The surname Swiss indicates that the original bearer immigrated to Austria from Switzerland. Early Origins of the Swiss familyThe surname Swiss was first found in Austria, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would shape the course of European history. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, particularly in the city of Frankfurt, and become noted for their involvement in social, economic and political affairs. Early History of the Swiss familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Swiss research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1709, 1710, 1730, 1833 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Swiss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Swiss Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Swiss include Schweitzer, Schweizer, Schwitzer, Schwyzer, Switzer, Sweitzer, Schwitter and many more. Early Notables of the Swiss familyDuring this period prominent bearers of the name Swiss were Johann Friedrich Schweitzer (1625-1709), Dutch physician and alchemical writer of German extraction; Johann Jacob Casimir von Schweitzer, who was...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Swiss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Swiss familyAustria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Swiss or a variant listed above: Christoph Schweitzer, who emigrated to either England or America in 1709; Hans Georg Schweitzer arrived in New York State between 1710-1714; Jacob Schweitzer arrived in Philadelphia in 1732.
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