I know this surname is from Bern, Switzerland, but is that the origin? I also cannot discover the meaning of Zwahlen. Sorry, I cannot be of any help to anyone researching actual people as this is a remote connection by marriage. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
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There are at least two different Zwahlen lines found in the Canton Bern in Switzerland. One is from Gambach, Bern and the other line is from around the Interlaken area. My ancestors come from Gambach and settled in Lengnau, Bern in the mid-1800's. I am interested in finding others here in the USA and Canada who have that same line of Zwahlen Ancestry. Thanks for your help. Josy
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Sorry, I can't help you with actual people. The Zwahlen surname married into the family and is not my husband's direct line. My husband is the only one of his family to live in North America. (He is not a Zwahlen). However, I am still interested in learning what this unusual name means in Schweizer Deutsch.
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Zwahlen surname
From Josy (Zwahlen) de Hoyos to Heather
(View posts)
There are two different explanations of the name that I am aware of: One is that the name evolved from the French work "voila" (pronounced "wala") meaning "here are" or "here is", or, as a reply to a request for sometheing: "here you are." The genealogists who believe in this theory think that these were French speaking people who immigrated to Switzerland who were named for this often used expression. The second theory is that the name evolved from Walen, signifying that these people came from Wales to Switzerland and thus were given this name. I don't know if either of these is correct, but my genealogy dates back to the 1300's in Gambach, Switzerland. I noticed that your name is Swiss also. We knew a Moser family from Solothurn, Switzerland, who immigrated to Utah in the late 1940's. Are they any relatives of yours?
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Zwahlen (or looking for Moby Dick?)
Thank you for taking the time to send me two very interesting versions of where and how the Zwahlen surname originated. My money is on the second idea. As for being related to Utah Mosers? That is a real long shot you took there. As you probably know, Moser is the Swiss equivalent of Smith and very common there. My husband is the first of his extended family to leave Switzerland permanently (real homebodies all) so no, we aren't related to your friends.
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Zwahlen Genealogy
From Josy (Zwahlen) de Hoyos to Heather
(View posts)
Heather, if you're interested in more info on the Zwahlen genealogy, let me know. Where are the Zwahlen's from that married into your family?
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Is Zwahlen Jennings a Relative?
Sorry, I can't resist puns. I don't know where they hail from because I have never met that particular in-law distant relative, but I presume the Moser who married them met them in K't. Bern. Why? Because our Mosers don't leave Bern except to vacation. Thank you for answering all my questions about the Zwahlen name good luck in your future research.
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My great grandfather was Johannes Zwhalen, born 1/1/1819 near Bern, SW. He married my great grandmother, Elizabeth Steinmann Winterfeld (her first husband died). They lived in Waleren south of Bern. I think his father's name was Jakob. That is all I have on them so far. I don't know where the name origin comes from but I do know that their records are from the Berne Canton. Shirley Weil e-mail OLHLCH@AOL.com
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Sorry, as stated before, I cannot help anyone with their pursuit of specific Zwahlen relatives. My interest was only in completing a project to research the meaning of all surnames in my GEDCOM. I've received two very interesting meanings for this surname, and am happy to bow out of the discussion. Good luck to all you other Zwahlen researchers and a big thank you for all the help I've received.
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I would love to share Zwahlen genealogy.
My great grandfather was John F. Zwahlen from Ottenheim, KY. I am trying to trace my Zwahlen roots.
Please let me know if you are interested.
Thanks, Tracy Hubbard
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