Canton Bern Genealogical Records
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If you haven't done so already, it is recommended to read the introductory notes first.
Most Bern church records have been deposited at the State Archive, and have been filmed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are, however, a few missing parishes.
For data after 1876 usually Civil Registry Offices need to be contacted. As of the year 2000, there are 24 Civil Registry Offices (Zivilstandsämter) in the Bern Canton: check the list of communities to determine which Civil Registry Office will have the data. Alternatively try this list of offices which includes e-mail addresses as well; the dialogue is in German only - scroll down and type in the name of the community of interest below "Finden Sie ihre Gemeinde" - then click on "suchen".
Small hamlets are best searched on http://www.andrist.net/ortschaften-be/ a gazetteer of 1838. Rick Saunders provided the following example (Rüfenacht) in response to a query on Switzerland-L:
Click on the "second book", which serves as an index to the first volume: http://www.andrist.net/ortschaften-be/band2/index.htm
Go to page 280, which shows it belongs to the church parish of Worb, in the district of Konolfingen.
The church records of Worb are available on microfilm through a Family History Center.
Now, you can go the first volume at: http://www.andrist.net/ortschaften-be/band1/index.htm
Click on the district of Konolfingen, then click on page 154. This leads you to: http://www.andrist.net/ortschaften-be/band1/page154-file159.htm
You will probably want to print that page, as it shows all the smaller localities that are part of Rüfenacht. As you go through the church records, you may likely find many of the smaller localities mentioned, both for Rüfenacht and other places that are part of Worb. These names may be abbreviated in the church records, so this list may help you determine what localities any particular scribe may be abbreviating in the records.
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