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1. start with the research question. Do you have a relative or a story that you find particularly interesting? Or do you have a mysterious ancestor that you know nothing about? Then begin to research the person.
2. write down your ancestors and ask your relatives: (even better online, shows matches)
3. possible inquiry at civil registry offices
Caution: data protection, and it can be expensive (of course you have to know the place of origin of your ancestor)
4. visit to state archives
(Church records: baptism, marriage and death records):
Caution: old German script
5. online family trees: the online collection of the family tree on websites like myheritage, ancestry etc. can make your family tree grow with more matches.
In Switzerland, the place of citizenship is valuable for the search, as the family registers are kept there.
If you have no clue where your family came from, start with the Swiss Family Name Book.
Types of archives
The parish books are kept in the state archives. Other genealogically valuable documents (military or clarifications with embassies) are kept in the Federal Archives Switzerland
All state archives have an online search catalogue.
(Tip: Search by surname and hometown)
So far I had most success with DNA genealogy when the father was unknown.
The Y-chromosome is only passed on from father to son and mostly the name was also passed on from father to son, so that in some cases I was able to work on it with a surname.
Providers are, e.g. familytreedna and myheritage