The purpose of this web site is as a single center to collect ALL the information in ONE source and only to disseminate all the information ONCE
(as opposed to the piece-meal approach of scattered unconnected hodge-podge found in books and on the Internet now)
as a finished product
THE GRAND CHRONICLE OF THE HIESTAND FAMILY
the most complete, factual, true and accurate, documented accounting of the Hiestand family ever compiled. A chronicle of every Hiestand ever born.
I strongly believe it is important for the entire Hiestand history to be presented in ONE BOOK. Many people who have done research were unaware of other Hiestand families in the vicinity of their own forefathers. Because of this, many mistakes have been made by people too anxious to claim a record as their own ancestor when in fact it belongs to another individual from a different Hiestand Line with same name and sometimes even same age.
This is one of the reasons I am publishing this book. To STOP the REDUNDANT research and publishing. Instead of people continually DOING THE SAME RESEARCH OVER AND OVER it will allow future research to focus on the missing links and NEW material. This is why I have not rushed to publish a finished book but rather preferred to do the most thorough and complete up-to-date accounting so that it does not have to be done over again. Too many people find a few new items of interest and rush to publish only to have to publish numerous corrections time and time again. I give credit where credit is due as well as to researchers who were working on the same branch but found nothing new to me. This is so you can find out who else is working on your branch of the family.
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The purpose of this web site is as a single center to collect ALL the information in ONE source and only to disseminate all the information ONCE
(as opposed to the piece-meal approach of scattered unconnected hodge-podge found in books and on the Internet now)
as a finished product
THE GRAND CHRONICLE OF THE HIESTAND FAMILY
the most complete, factual, true and accurate, documented accounting of the Hiestand family ever compiled. A chronicle of every Hiestand ever born.
I strongly believe it is important for the entire Hiestand history to be presented in ONE BOOK. Many people who have done research were unaware of other Hiestand families in the vicinity of their own forefathers. Because of this, many mistakes have been made by people too anxious to claim a record as their own ancestor when in fact it belongs to another individual from a different Hiestand Line with same name and sometimes even same age.
This is one of the reasons I am publishing this book. To STOP the REDUNDANT research and publishing. Instead of people continually DOING THE SAME RESEARCH OVER AND OVER it will allow future research to focus on the missing links and NEW material. This is why I have not rushed to publish a finished book but rather preferred to do the most thorough and complete up-to-date accounting so that it does not have to be done over again. Too many people find a few new items of interest and rush to publish only to have to publish numerous corrections time and time again. I give credit where credit is due as well as to researchers who were working on the same branch but found nothing new to me. This is so you can find out who else is working on your branch of the family.
This chronicle of the Hiestands, by the Hiestands, for the Hiestands, so that their memory shall not perish.
The purpose of this book is more than a simple listing of names and dates. Its intention is to show how history affected the common man. In this case how it divided a single family, the Hiestands. It attempts to show what historical events directly influenced our forefathers' lives. I have tried to present world history as local events not found in the history books we used in school.
My objective has been to make our forefathers more than mere statistics. It has been, if possible, to show each individual's personality through their experiences, achievements, joys, and sorrows. I have also endevoured to include physical characteristics where possible. I want us to be able to remember our forefathers as the living people they were.
Hopefully you will find the Hiestands you have met but could not find a common ancestor or that long lost cousin. Maybe you will find Hiestands with the same name, age, birth date, ancestor, hobbies, occupation, etc.
It is my desire that this book will foster family reunions not only of people with a common ancestor, but also exchanges among the various Hiestand Lines across all religious and political borders. Perhaps it will create a better understanding of the world history that has shaped our family. I believe you will be as surprised as I was, to find out there was a branch of our family involved on both sides of so many historically significant religious and politcal conflicts. I think this book may make learning history and geography more interesting to future generations of Hiestands.
The Hiestand name is uncommon because it has only one place of origin; unlike such names as Braun/Brown, Schmid/Smith, Weiss/White Müller/Miller Weber/Weaver, Zimmermann/Carpenter, etc. which have many origins. It is rare when we meet or hear of another Hiestand that is not a member of our own extended family. When we do meet other Hiestands and we often can not find a common ancestor though we are sure somehow we must be related. It is largely because of this confusion, to answer the question, "How are we related?" that this book was compiled. I hope to show how we are descended from a common ancestor and that we are one family with the same heritage.
This book is the result of long and tedious research by many people over many years. It has been a labor of love. One can readily see from the Acknowledgements and Who's Who why I was inspired and encouraged that this undertaking was possible and more importantly necessary!
The name HIESTAND originated in only one place, on Richterswilerberg. The earliest known documented use was in 1401. There are not any records that have been found of the name Hiestand anywhere else for nearly 200 years.
German family names most often derive from given names, geographical names, occupational designations, bodily attributes or even traits of character. The origin of family names goes back to the 13th and 14th centuries (Germany, 11th century). see German family name etymology and The German Language.
The name HIESTAND is derived from Middle High German "hie stant" and literally means "stand here!" It is a so-called sentential or imperative name. Ask any Swiss from Canton Zurich what Hiestand means and they will say it is obvious "hier stehe!"
From Studies in Pennsylvania German family names by Oscar Kuhns we get the following:
"There are, finally, still other names which cannot be explained by the above classes, and must be attributed to personal peculiarities either of appearance or character. Such are ...Hiestand (Hier Stehe ! = stand here! see Tobler-Meyer, p. 175*)" [Stehe is the imperative or command form of stehen]
German American Annals by the German American Historical Society, Philadelphia, National German-American Alliance, Union of Old German Students in America, New York, Deutscher Pionier-Verein, Phildadelphia Published by The Macmillan Co., 1902 volume 4 page 317.
* „Das Zürcher Adressbuch von 1886 weist folgende Satznamen auf: ... Hiestand (= Hier Stehe !),“ Wilhelm Tobler-Meyer. Deutsche Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung : mit besonderer Rücksichtnahme auf Zürich und die Ostschweiz. Zürich: A. Müller, 1894, S. 175.
The name Hiestand falls under the catagory of a so-called ‘Satzname’, a sentential phrase consisting of a verbal stem plus an noun-phrase or adverb (e.g. Shake-speare). A name that describes a personality trait or an activity. It is only natural for one to imagine how a person would act to deserve a surname derived from a verb (e.g. Doolittle).
Satzname (sentential name) is a ‘verbal-phrase name’ is a compound proper name consisting of a complete or elliptical main clause or (very rarely) subordinate clause, e.g. Rinderhat. Practically all contain two parts: a finite verb-form (usually imperative), followed by an object or adverb.
„Neben vielen imperativischen Satznamen, deren Wortstellung dem heutigen Gebrauche gemäss ist, indem das Objekt dem Verbum nachfolgt, finden sich viele bei denen umgekehrt das Objekt vorangeht; es scheinen eigenthümlich deutsche Gebilde zu sein: ... Hiestand und Standfest [steadfast]; ...“, Friedrich Becker, Die deutschen Satznamen, Carl Schultze's Universitätsbuchdruckerei, Basel, 1873, Seite 21.
„Mittelhochdeutsch hie, neben hier, welche Form noch unserer heutigen Mundart fremd ist. Hieher auch der imperative Geschlechtsnamen ,Hiestand’ Schwyz; Zürich.“,
(Schweizerisches Idiotikon: Wörterbuch der schweizerdeutschen Sprache, Antiquarische Gesellschaft Zürich, Hrsg. Huber & Co. Aktiengesellschaft, 1885, 2. Band, Seite 587.)
„hie [hiː]
"In the following compounds hier- is nowdays normal in North Germany, hie- is archaic. In the South of Germany and Austria hie is still common, being in fact preferred where the sound component commences with a consonant, e.g. hie -gegen." The New Cassel's German Dictionary.
„stand [ʃtant] stehen; Stand m: Die Substantive mhd. stant = das Stehen; zu mhd. standen.“ Duden: Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in sechs Bänden, Günther Drosdowski, 1981, 6. Band S.2474.
Middle High German "stân"/"stên" (Modern German 'stehen', English 'to stand') Imperative stant, Middle High German Verbs, Scott Shay Publisher Lulu.com, 2006, page 283.
In Modern High German 'STAND' is the past participle of 'STEHEN', which means to stand. Therefore STAND in German means STOOD in English.
The above information gives the literal meaning of our name:
the Middel High German imperative or command: hie stant = stand here!
or
the modern High German: hie stand = here stood.
In the sense of:
Stillgestanden! the German military command to stand at attention. Literally stand still! In this sense hieher stehe! could mean front and center
Stehenbleiben! the German police command to stop, freeze, stand still, don't move, stay put!
Standhalten to hold, or literally, stand one's ground
This definition was confirmed to me by many Hiestands and archivists in Switzerland and Germany. Their concept of the meaning was expressed to me as: HIESTAND = Here stood I as in I stood my ground (perhaps in battle during the 14th century). Standfest = steadfast, stable, steady; standhaft = steadfast; ständig = permanent, fixed; anständig = decent, proper, respectable; beständig = steady, stable, constant. He remains grounded. He has both feet on the ground, like in the coat-of-arms. Hie stand i u' hie bin i also Hiestand heiß i. Here I stood and here I am therefore I'm called Hiestand. Though it probably really just means stubborn!
I believe STEADFAST is the best one word translation of our name. It would also make a good motto or STAND-FAST! The definition best describes what a native from the Alemannic dialect speaking areas (Switzerland, Alsace, Baden, Württemberg, Allgäu, Vorarlberg) perceives when he sees or hears the name HIESTAND. Native German speakers outside these areas do not recognize our name and usually can not spell or pronounce it. Just like in America!
"Steadfast 1. Fixed or unchanging; steady. 2. Firmly loyal or constant; unswerving. Synonyms see faithful. [Old English stedefæst, fixed in one place: stede, place, STEAD+ fæst, fixed, FAST]" The American Heritage Dictonary
to stand fast 1. To be fixed; to be unshaken or immovable. 2. To stand one's ground Also, hold one's ground. Not give up any ground. 3. Be firm or unyielding. 4. The order at which all action ceases immediately.
Or how about avast! as a motto? 1. to hold fast, a command to desist. from the Dutch "hou'vast" houd vast
For navy vets like me you could use, hold and belay! as a motto
Stand to! Stand fast! Stand your ground! Take a stand! Stand pat! Hie stand!
The explaination of the surname Hiestand.
Name expert Hans-Peter Schifferle, from the Swiss Dictionary Idiotikon, explains the Zurich surname "Hiestand" in the program "Dini Mundart Schnabelweid" «Das säit me nümm!» from 10 Jun 2021 on SFR1 (Swiss radio). It belongs to the so-called sentence names (Satznamen) and goes back to the figurative characterization of the first bearer of the name as a rooted person [like the idiom: to put down roots].
The literal meaning of the Name Hiestand would be stand here!, or stand still here! (bleib' da stehen! oder stehenbleibe!) The meaning from the book Zürcher Familiennamen is stand here! "an Order to a restless person," because the definition comes from a completely different point of view. Old "sentence names" are formally a gramatical imperative (command) sentence, but have a completely different function namely as a figurative characterization of the first bearer of the name. The name Hiestand characterizes one who is rooted in the place where he lives; where one is drawn to; where one likes to be at home. Therefore the complete opposite of a restless person. One could get the characteriztion from where the Name Hiestand was rendered and perhaps grasp a little more figuratively as rock [solid?], a calm anchor, or perhaps a bit more modernly as a homebody.
Like the idiom to put down roots: to feel that you belong in a place, (of a person) begin to have a settled life in a particular place, to establish something, someone, or oneself as a permanent resident or establishment in a certain place,
become part of community where you live, make a place their home.
It seems to me that sentence names are rather more like an idiomatic expression (peculiar characterization) and not literal, for example; "eat crow," "talk turkey," "heard it straight from the horse's mouth," "see eye-to-eye," "beating around the bush," "kill two birds with one stone," "move heaven and earth," "hit the nail on the head," "break a leg", "are the apple of my eye", "have a green thumb," don't throw the baby out with the bath water," etc. Imagine a surname made from one of these idioms.
Maybe sentence names should be called idiom names instead.
Do you really think William Shakespeare's ancestor was named because he was ordered to shake a spear? (literally? or like the idiom, shake a leg?) or more likely that he was adept at wielding a lance or spear. Man that guy can really shake a spear! Dude! SHAKE that spear!
Or do you think the first bearer of the name of the Zurich patrician family "Manesse" e.g. Mann Esser, was a real "man eater" as depicted on the family coat-of arms? or was he more likely a ferocious warrior who slaughtered men in battle, a man killer not eater. Though this name is catagorized as a character trait it could just as easily be a Satzname since "esse" is the first person imperative of essen = to eat, an oder to eat men! (You should have seen him fight. He chewed them up and spit them out.) Again like Hiestand = stand here! not meant to be taken literally.
Therefore it should not be: stand here! (stay put!) but rather: I stand my ground. This is my place. I'm staying here. I'm rooted in my home. I've put down roots here.
I belive the Hiestand coat-of arms are "canting arms," which are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name (or, less often, some attribute or function) in a visual pun or rebus. French heralds used the term armes parlantes (English: "talking arms"), in German redendes Wappen also sprechendes Wappen or Namenswappen.
In Canton Zurich, a man standing on a piece of ground in a fighting stance with his arms raised and fists clenched (quite literally he is standing here, standing his ground, rooted. Like the idioms; He put down roots. He remains grounded. He has both feet firmly on the ground, both literally and figuratively in the coat-of-arms.).
There has been too much plagiarism by Americans. Contact the author for access to the entire site.
Many mistakes have been made by people too anxious to claim records as belonging to one individual when in fact they belong to another individual from a different Hiestand Line with same name and sometimes even same age. Too many people find a few new items of interest and rush to publish only to have to publish numerous corrections time and time again.
The above coat-of-arms did NOT originate in 1706 with Jacob Hiestand (1674-1754) [not 1674-1730. I published 1674-1730+ meaning he died 1730 plus or after 1730, because in 1998 when I first published my research on this web site, I hadn't found his death record yet, which I have since. He did NOT CREATE it but merely used it in that year and I gave it only as an exemplar of its use. Evidence at the time of this usage indicate it was not his personal coat-of-arms (according to Dr. Hans Paul Kläui 1948) but was probably used by his forefathers for several generations before (probably since the late 1500s). Though he is from the Schönau Line, it is not exclusive to this line but rather to all the lines from Richterswil and Hütten, which were one parish and political entity at this time, who also have used this coat-of arms.
A shield (like the one above) with notches on both sides for coats of arms came into fashion in the 15th and 16th centuries. Also the half-round shield (like in the anchor shield from 1560 below), came into use at this time.
In Canton Schwyz, a gold anchor (which keeps something "fixed in one place," rooted or standing here) on a blue background with three gold stars above or below the anchor. This represents the new location of this line on the shores of Lake Zurich in the Vorderhof of Freienbach-Pfäffikon having come down from the mountain at Richterswil after the Reformation and steadfastly remaining Catholic. Anchored in their faith. FAITHFUL. Also a good motto for our family.
Our name is however very ironic considering how widely the family has spread throughout the world, especially the constant migration in America. We never seem to stay "fixed in one place." Here I stood and here I stood, and here I stood...
I have always thought that our name particularly lends itself to a business' name or political campaign in English: Hiestand's for Quality. Hiestand's for Justice. Hiestand's for me. Hiestand's steadfast. Stand fast with Hiestand!
Back to the topThe diphthongs of some German dialects differ a lot from standard German diphthongs. The Swiss German diphthongs, for instance, correspond rather to the Middle High German diphthongs than to standard German diphthongs: /iə̯ / hie = hier kind of like the American Southern, Boston or British ‘here’ without actually pronouncing the ‘r’, the so-called raised 'r'.
„ie [iə̯] (fallender Diphthong) in Familiennamen wie Diem, Dieth, Hiestand, Ortsnamen wie Brienz BE, Fiesch VS, Kriens LU,...“ Kurt Meyer, Hans Bickel, Schweizer Wörterbuch: so sagen wir in der Schweiz, Huber, 2006, Seite 28.
A diphthong (literally "two sounds" or "two tones"), also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable.
Falling diphthongs start with a vowel quality of higher pitch or volume (greater stress) and end in a semivowel (or glide) of lesser stress, like in eye and boy.
Karl Hiestand b.1892 in Pfullendorf, Baden-Württemberg recorded in 1959
In America:Hear it pronounced here. The English (US), German and French are spot on!
If your name is Hiestand and you were raised with the name Hiestand you can leave a recording of your pronunciation here.
For those not graced with the name Hiestand:
ALWAYS! pronounced as a LONG ‘e’ (ē) Hiestand would NEVER EVER be pronounced "HIGH -stand" by a native German speaker let alone a family member bearing the name Hiestand.
"The name Hiestand is found written in as many different forms as the ingenuity of the speller could contrive.
The name is, according to good authority [WHAT A JOKE! Now THIS is a good authority], a contraction of Matthias Stand— hias-Stand —Hiestand.
The name is spelled as follows: Hystandt, Hystand, Heistandt, Histan, Histon, Heston, Hestand, Heestand, Histand, Hiestand, Heistand, Heaston, Heiston, Hyston, Heastin, Hiestandt and Heistandt."
Klein, H.M.J., Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a History, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1924, page 50.
There has been too much plagiarism by Americans. Contact the author for access to the entire site.
The land that Heini Hiestand lived on originally belonged to the Abbeys of Einsiedeln (Canton Schwyz) and Fraumünster (Zurich Abbey) and were "Gotteshausleute" (people of God's house; e.g. living on land donated to the church and under its jurisdiction) and not serfs of the Knights of St. John.
Since there are not any records that have been found of the name Hiestand anywhere else for
another 200 years it is safe to assume that the name Hiestand originated in this location and that
Heini is very probably the first to use it. Because of how the tax list was taken in order of farms
and from where Heini was located on the list, I believe he lived on or near the farm called Feldmoos (present-day Fälmis) on Richterswilerberg, which is where we find the Hiestands living in 1439.
The first tax roll dated 1401 does not show any amounts of tax, though the tax roll for 1402 lists
Heini Hiestand for xxxij ß or 32 Schillings (or 1 pound 12 Schillings).
There has been too much plagiarism by Americans. Contact the author for access to the entire site.
In German called "Allmende" from Middle High German "algemeinde". The Commons once were all lands used in communitary form, including Meadows, Woods, Pastures, Heaths, Quarries, Bogs, Fisheries and Hunting Grounds within a village's territory. Commons are known since the 10th century; possibly however they existed since 0 AD in lands populated by Germanic people and in Ancient Greece. Aside from several mountain regions, there are no Commons in Europe anymore.
In Switzerland former Commons sometimes are owned by civic associations. These are often still operated communitarily like a Commons. Some municipalities still own entire mountains like e.g the Matterhorn and the associated ski lifts.
Die Allmende (in der Schweiz Allmend, Allmeind oder Allmein), auch die Gemeindeflur oder das Gemeindegut, ist eine Form gemeinschaftlichen Eigentums. ...
For the English page see under languages on the lower left margin and click
Etymologie:
Der Begriff entstand im Hochmittelalter als mittelhochdeutsch al(ge)meinde, almeine oder almeide ‚Gemeindeflur‘ oder ‚Gemeinweide‘ und bezeichnete ein im Besitz einer Dorfgemeinschaft befindliches Grundeigentum innerhalb einer Gemarkung. Sprachliche Varianten sind auch Allmeind, Allmande, ...[in Richterswil "Allmig"]
Die Allmende, in der Schweiz Allmend, Allmeind oder Allmein, ist eine Rechtsform gemeinschaftlichen Eigentums. Als landwirtschaftlicher Begriff bezeichnet Allmende oder „Gemeine Mark“ Gemeinschafts- oder Genossenschaftsbesitz abseits der parzellierten landwirtschaftlichen Nutzfläche. Als traditionelle Wirtschaftsform sind Allmenden heute noch im Alpenraum ...
translation:
The Allmende, in Switzerland Allmend, Allmeind, or Almein, is a legal form of Common property. As an agricultural term, Common land or "common market" means community or cooperative ownership outside the parceled agricultural land. As a traditional economic form, the Allmenden are still Common in the Alpine region ...
Ob Allmende, Genossame, Korporation oder Genossenschaft: Alle Namen bezeichnen eine Körperschaft, die Solidarität und Selbstverantwortung als ideelle und in die Praxis umgesetzte Basis ihres Handelns versteht. Sie sind seit Jahrhunderten ein gemeinschaftliches »Verwaltungsmodell«, das seit etwa zwei Jahrzehnten neuen Auftrieb bekommt.
Als die amerikanische Professorin Elinor Ostrom 2009 als erste und bisher einzige Frau mit dem Alfred-Nobel-Gedächtnispreis für Wirtschaftwissenschaften (»Nobelpreis für Wirtschaftswissenschaften«) für ihre Forschungen zu »Commons« ausgezeichnet wurde, sind diese auch in der Wissenschaft zu einem großen Thema geworden. ...
translation:
Whether Common, cooperative, corporation or cooperative: All names refer to a corporation that understands solidarity and personal responsibility as the ideal and practical basis of its actions. For centuries they have been a Common "administrative model" that has been gaining new impetus for about two decades.
When the American professor Elinor Ostrom was the first and so far only woman to be awarded the Alfred Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics (“Nobel Prize for Economics”) for her research on “Commons”, this became a major topic in science as well.
Als Allmenden bezeichnet werden Weiden-, Wald- und Ödlandflächen, die von den dazu berechtigten Bewohnern eines Siedlungsverbands - eines oder mehrerer Dörfer, Weiler oder Hofgruppen - zur kollektiven wirtschaftlichen Nutzung ausgeschieden waren. Innerhalb des idealtypischen Modells einer verzelgten dörflichen Wirtschaft (Dorf) stellte die Allmend neben der Ackerflur und dem Wohnbereich mit Hofstätten und Gärten die dritte ökonomisch-rechtliche Zone dar (Zelgensysteme).
translation:
As Commons were designated pasture, forest and wasteland areas which were set aside for collective economic use by the entitled residents of a settlement association - one or more villages, hamlets or farm groups. Within the ideal-typical model of a agricultural village economy (village), the Common in addition to the arable land and the living area with farmyards and gardens represented the third economic-legal zone (agricultural systems).
Das Quartier Grüenfeld ist bereits seit einigen hundert Jahren besiedelt. Allerdings waren es nur vereinzelte Höfe (Streusiedlung) auf denen hauptsächlich Landwirtschaft betrieben wurde.
Damals lag hier die Erlen-Allmend der Allmendgenossenschaft, der weite Gebiete im Richterswiler Berg gehörten. Die Erlen-Allmend bestand hauptsächlich aus Weiden, Riedland, Gestrüpp und erratischen Blöcken. Alte, knorrige Eichen umgaben dieses Gebiet. Zur Herbstzeit spendeten diese Bäume eine Unmenge von Eicheln, die von den Bewohnern der einzelnen Höfe eingesammelt und als Schweinefutter verwendet wurden.
Im Jahre 1568 wurde eine erste Allmendordnung aufgestellt. Sie sollte endlosen Streitigkeiten ein Ende bereiten und die Nutzung der Allmend in geordnete Bahnen leiten. Damals wurde auch folgende Vereinbarung getroffen: „Die Eichellese ist nur an Samstagen von einer Betzeitglocke zur anderen gestattet.“ Bald gab man der Eichellese die Bezeichnung „go samstagere“. Als dann mit der Zeit – nach 1700 – das heutige Strassendörfchen entstand, nannte man es, vermutlich in Verbindung mit jenem Brauch, Samstagern.“
Auch heute wird der grösste Teil der landwirtschaftlich genutzten Fläche von der Allmendkoorporation Richterswil als Weide und Ackerland an die Bauern verpachtet. Einzelne Gebäude (-teile) im Quartier sind schon über 250 Jahre alt und heute noch bewohnt.
The Grüenfeld (formerly called Esel) area (of Samstagern) has been settled for several hundred years. However, there were only isolated farms (scattered settlements) on which mainly agriculture was practiced.
At that time, the Erlen-Common of the Commoncooperative, which owned large areas in the Richterswiler Berg, was located here. The Erlen-Common consisted mainly of pastures, marsh, scrub and boulders. Old, gnarled oaks surrounded this area. In autumn these trees produced an enormous amount of acorns, which were collected by the residents of the individual farms and used as pig feed.
In 1568 the first Common regulations were drawn up. It should have put an end to endless disputes and led to the use of the Common in an orderly way. At that time, the following agreement was also made: "The acorn harvest is only permitted on Saturdays from one prayer bell to the other." Soon the acorn harvest was given the name "go Saturdaying". When, over time - after 1700 - the present-day one street hamlet (e.g. all the houses are along one street) emerged, it was called, presumably in connection with that custom, Samstagern (Saturdaying).
Also today the largest part of the agriculturally used areas of the Allmendkoorporation Richterswil are leased to the farmers as pasture and farmland. Individual buildings (or parts of buildings) in the district are already over 250 years old and still lived in today.
Now in more detail:
Erlen Allmends Geschlechts Rodel der Genossen von 1564 (Erlen Common lineage roll of society members) [probably all born before 1543, in other words, over 21 years of age]:
„Hie nach volgend die Namen der geschlechtern, so der allmentt in der gemeind Richtischwyl genoss und theilhafftig sind.“
Thoman Bachmann, Caspar Aeschmann zum Bach, Uli Eschmann in der Hügsammen, Fuchs, Galli Hänsler, Hans Hiestand, Ulrich Hiestand am Berg [Bergli, Hütten], Rudolf Hiestand uf dem Berg, Klein Hans Hiestand, Heini Hiestand bim Thürli, Heinrich Hotz (Weberrüti), Leemann, Jacob Leuthi [Lüthi] zu Juchen, Schneider, Rudolph Strickler am Strik bÿ dem Essell, Peter Strickler uff dem Hasslenhof, Rudolph Tanner, Wild, Hans Wymann, und Galli Zimmermann.
Zu denjenigen, welche das Allmendrecht erkauft hatten: Bachmann, Blattmann, Brändli, Jacob Hiestand, Höfliger, Hüsser, Knupp, Rechsteiner, Strickler, Trinkler, Welthli, und Widmer. Zum Beispiel hatten sich auch früher (1523) Hans Fyrabit [Feierabend] auf Schönau und Hanselman Hotz (1524) eingekauft. „Diser Rodel ist gmacht und beschlossen worden am 20 tag Mey oder Pfingstabend im Jar 1564 in bysin hienach volgender personen von den allmendgnossen darzu verordnet, namlich ... geschriben durch Heliam Höwlin, damals Prädicanten zu Richtenschwyl“
(Compare this to the names of the Genossame Wollerau. Hiestands since 1599!)
Die Folgended kaufte sich später in die Erlenallmend Richterswil ein: Hans Müller zu Mülenen, Hans Ringger bÿ dem Essel, Heinrich Stoker und Uly Blattmann beim kleinen Esel (1593), Tischmacher Rudolf Rusterholz (1596), Wirt zum Rössli Hans Schimd, Lentz (Lorenz) Goldschmid Hof Juchen und Gerber Hans Weber (1597), Cristen Isler (1601), Conrad Schmid gen. Rychenmut und Bruder Jörg.
There has been too much plagiarism by Americans. Contact the author for access to the entire site.
1. We know for sure who the Anabaptist Hiestands are, who left Richterswil Switzerland and settled in Ibersheim am Rhein in Rheinhessen no later than 1662 (see The Rheinhessen line under Germany).
2. We know from an 1685 Mennonite census in the Palatinate that:
Conrad Hiestand (1639-?) had 5 children (from other sources we know he had at least one daughter named Anna) and two step children probalbly from Katharina Obmann (Oppmann) from Oberdiesbach, Bern a widowed sister? of Erbbeständer Peter Obmann (Oppmann)? His daughter would be too young.We know from various sources that during the period of emigration to America (1710-1770) of the 16 children from the above three men, born between 1661 and 1685, who stayed in Germany, except where noted, there were at least:
Of the following two Hereditary Tenants; one is the son of Conrad Hiestand and the other is the son of Hans Heinrich Hiestand;There was no direct emigration from Richterswil or elsewhere in Switzerland to America by ANY Hiestands during the 1700s! These claims are made by people who did not bother to find the death records (which I did) of the Hiestands, who they claim left Swizerland. Küngold Hiestand (1658-?) first emmigrated to the Palatinate (for 30 years!) near the other Hiestands in Ibersheim. She is the only Hiestand documented to have been born in Switzerland that settled in America in the 18th century though. No evidence for any others.
For example: many people are continually perpetuating the falsehood, that the father of the immigrant Henrich "Henry" Hiestand (1704 Ibersheim, Germany-1779), who settled in Virginia in 1743, was Ulrich Hiestand who married Barbara Strickler on 4 Nov 1673 and saying he died in 1717 in Pennsylvania! [WHAT IS YOUR DOCUMENTED SOURCE FOR THIS?! Someone's hearsay?] What a bunch of hooey! There is absolutly nothing to document this claim. Do some real research. Use original documents created during the life of the individual or at the time of death. I have found 44 Ulrich Hiestands in church, tax and land records in Switzerland and Germany, none of whom died in 1717. This was using actual documents made during their lifetime giving a place and date.
What is documented in the parish records is that this man Hans Ulrich Hiestand, who married Barbara Strickler (1648-1717! on the farm Hinter Schönau) on 4 Nov 1673, was born 1638 (bapt. 11 Nov) on his father Heinrich Hiestand's (1597-1672) [NOT Matthias*!!!!!!] farm in Hinter Schönau (then in the parish of Richterswil, now Hütten) and died on the same farm (in Switzerland!) on 29 Oct 1697! Before Heinrich's 1704 birth! Their son Hans Heinrich Hiestand was born 1684 and died 1754 in the parish of Richterswil, now Hütten. Their son Heinrich Hiestand was born in 1689 NOT 1704! Heinrich Hiestand's (1704-1779) grandfather and the forefather's of ALL the Colonial Hiestand immigrants were born on the farm at Haslen in Richterswil. No one named Ulrich Hiestand has ever immigrated to America let alone fathered any of the colonial era Hiestand immigrants. No connection to the American immigrant whatsoever!
*Matthias "Thÿss" Hiestand (22 Sep 1601-26 Apr 1672) in Wädenswil son of Felix Hiestand (b.1566 and d. before 1634 in Wädenswil) [existing death records for Wädenswil start with 1647] and Adelheid Huser (b.1569 and d. after 1634 Wädenswil) married Elsbeth Küng (b.1601 Wädenswil) in 1622 and in 1637 Katharina "Trÿna" Wartner from Waldshut, Baden Germany (d.1 Mar 1686 Wädenswil) Matthias did NOT have a son named Ulrich!!!! Of the 26 Matthias and Matthäus Hiestands I have found records for in Switzerland and Germany none, NOT ONE, had a son named Ulrich. Do some REAL REASEARCH Look at the actual parish records in Switzerland like I did and get the facts not someone's fantasy.
I have also seen people claim that the Hans Heinrich Hiestand who emigrated to Ibersheim married Magdalena Epprecht. NOT SO! This is another man from another family that had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING nothing to do with the Anabaptists or Ibersheim or the American immigrants.
Hans Heinrich Hiestand bap. 13 Sep 1646 and died 6 Mar 1710 on the Dächenwies farm in Wädenswil and was a master tailor. He is the son of the above mentioned Matthias
married 12 Mar 1672 in Wädenswil, Zürich, Switzerland to:
Magdalena Epprecht bap. 11 Jan 1653 and died 10 Mar 1701 in Wädenswil
This is one of the reasons I found it necessary to DOCUMENT ALL Hiestands and not just find a record here and there with the same name without verifing that it is not two different individuals.
I refer you back to to thisAnother fallacy needs to be addressed!
Hiestand (Histand, Heistand, Heystandt) family
Hiestand is a Mennonite family which has been represented chiefly in the Franconia and Ontario conferences of the Mennonite Church (MC). The progenitor of the North American Hiestands was one Abraham Hiestand, a member of the Reformed Church in Switzerland, who was born about 1703 and as a young man immigrated to Pennsylvania. In eastern Pennsylvania he and his wife united with the Mennonite Church.
Wenger, John C., The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume 2, Scotdale, Mennonite Publishing Hause, 1956, page 739.
The source of this fiction/fabrication comes from the anti-German sentiment in Canada at the time (Thus the name change from Berlin Ontario to Kitchener, nobody there wanted to be of German descent) the following was published:
HISTAND.
(Sometimes spelled Hiestand)
3739 HISTAND, ABRAHAM, a native of Holland, was born about the year 1703 [Really, his son Hans "Jacob" Hiestand (1697-1769) already had a child in 1725!]. It cannot, at so late a date, be ascertained of what nationality he was as all documents pertaining to his ancestry are lost. [Then why say he is from Holland? Because he got on a ship there like all the other Hiestand immigrants?] He may have been of English descent [really?] as we find the name "Histand" to be quite common in the northern counties of England [No it is not. Find one, I dare you]. So much is certain that his ancestors were not Dutch. History informs us that many of the Non-Conformists left England during the reign of Queen Mary, and also during the reigns of Charles II and James II. Among these parties may have been the forefathers of Abraham Histand. When a young man he, in company with others, sailed for America and settled in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. While in his new home he formed the acquaintance of one named Susannah Collins [where does this Anglo-Irish name come from? No evidence anywhere] whom he afterwards married [actually his wife's name was Anne according to his probate records]. They were both members of the Evangelical Reformed Body when they came to Pennsylvania [How does he know this without any records?], but not finding any of their faith in the newly adopted home, they joined with the Mennonite body [No Abraham was already a Mennonite in Germany], the doctrines of which were almost the same as those of the Evangelical Reformed body [Really?]. There is no record of the date of their deaths, nor of their family. We know that they resided in Lower Salford Township, Montgomery County, in 1726 [Yes!], and that they had one son named II Abraham [No! One son name Hans "Jacob"] who lived at the same place where he was engaged in farming for some time, then he moved to Chester County [No! Jacob moved to Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County] where he died probably when a young man for we find he had but a small family. Two of his children were III Eliza and III David [No! They were the children of the immigrant Johann Hiestand (1711-1788) who immigrated in 1731].
3740 III HISTAND, ELIZA, was born May 9th, 1753, and died November 12th, 1756.
3741 III HISTAND, DAVID, was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, August 20th, 1755. His family may have consisted of four children but no one could give any positive information in regard to his family [he had 10 children like his father]. His wife's name has not been given to the writer [It was Elizabeth Bechtel (1764-1855)]. ...
Eby, Ezra E. , A Biorgaphical History of Waterloo Township Ontario: and Other Townships of the County: Being a History of the Early Settlers and Their Descendants, Mostly All of Pennsylvania Dutch Origin, as Also Much Other Unpublished Historical Information Chiefly of a Local Character, Kitchener, Ontario, 1895, page 791.
This account was made without any research whatsoever. All he knew was that Abraham was in (Lower) Salford Township, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) County, in 1726, and that he was a Mennonite. Everything else was purely his imagination making up a back story without any further actual knowledge. He made up the birth under the false assumption that Abraham must have immigrated as a young (thus born 1703) unmarried man as opposed to a man with an adult son, who was married with a child.
Abraham Hiestand was born before 1677 in Ibersheim, Electorial Palatinate, Germany (not 1703 in Holland). He lived in Bucks County from 1734-1752 and died 1754 in Philadelphia married to Anne, not Susannah Collins! They had five children. One of whom was Hans "Jacob" Hiestand (1697-1769). He and his father were already Mennonites in Germany. see below.
The only other Abraham Hiestands living at this time and area were:David Hiestand (1755-1846) was born in Upper Milford Township, Northampton (now Lehigh) County [NOT CHESTER], Pennsylvania the 10th of ten children. David is listed on the muster rolls of the Northampton county militia along with his brothers in 1782 and 1783. Later in 1783 HE, David, moved to Chester County as found in the Deed Books not his father. From 1786-1790 he lived across the river in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County and then returned to East Pikeland Township, Chester County. His son Abraham Hiestand (1787-1863) moved to Allen Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania by 1811.
Emil Friedrich Hans Hiestand(-Huber) (1915-2010) of Richterswil, Switzerland, researched the Hiestands. On 15 March 1959, he held a meeting and discussed the findings of his research which were reported in a local newspaper. Copies of this article have found exceptionally wide distribution in the USA. When I visted Emil in November 1979, and several times from 1981-1983 he shared with me what he knew of the Hiestands. Much of my success is largely due to his help and advice starting me in the right direction. In 1993, I visited him again to compare notes.
Meeting of the lineages of the Hiestands in Richterswil
(Rec.) Like in their own time the "Stricklers" researched about the origin of their name, and presented information about that at a meeting, so [too] Municipal Councilman Emil Hiestand already for years had taken the effort to get to the bottom of the origin of the Hiestands. After the material was put together, invitations were sent for a get together on Sunday the 15th of March [1959] at the [Gasthof] Freihof [Inn]. Of the 80 invitees, 58 took part in the meeting. In his opening address Emil Hiestand emphasized, that he would like to give information in a report about the lineage, to be able to leave behind for the comming generations a montage [dipiction] of their origin [e.g. idiom: He wanted to paint a picture of their origin. not literally]. The genealogical and historical evidence could be gathered from the Zurich State Archives, the Zurich Central Library, the Municipal archives of Richterswil and the monastery archive of Einsiedeln Abbey. Like that of the Stricklers, the lineage of the Hiestands also originated in Samstagern. The practice of using two names came into use in the 12th century and would first be used only by the nobility. Later the commoners imitated this. Some called themselves by their surnames, yet others after their occupation or activity, to this group the Hiestands also may have belonged. From two records it is evident that the name Hiestand points to a small space between the e and the s. With greater probability it is presumed the name derives from "stand here!" Remarkably it has never changed since its origin. The name Hiestand was first mentioned in a tax roll in the year 1401: Heinrich Hiestand, without statement of the tax. In the year 1402 Heini Hiestand and in the year 1425 Klaus Hiestand, in Erlen, Wollerau [Canton Schwyz]. Like almost all families, this one also had its own coat-of-arms. The first coat-of-arms was a curved horn with three stars, then another one with an anchor and three stars.
Richterswil presently [1959] counts 12 families and ten living alone with the name Hiestand, Wädenswil 14 families. This family also spread to the "Höfe" [the former fiefs-estates of the Einsiedeln Abbey e.g. Wollerau, Feusisberg, Freienbach, and Pfäffikon in Canton Schwyz], especially to Wollerau and Freienbach, as well as to Wädenswil and the mountain municipalities [e.g. Hütten and Schönenberg]. Like the chronicle shows, there were also emigrants, as in the year 1657, in which three Hiestands migrated, and in the year 1669 Conrad, Jakob and Little Anna (Klyane} Hiestand to the Ibersheim Estate (Ybschen-Hof) in the Palatinate [Germany], and later spread to the Black Forest region [Germany]. Some also moved across the great water, as in the years 1727, 1731, 1754 from Rotterdam to Philadelphia. There was even a captain with the name Hiestand. How big the ship was, is not mentioned. The lecturer also displayed an American 10 Dollar bill, which was signed by a Hiestand. The Hiestands were also represented in the campaigns, as in the year 1512 in the campaign against Burgandy [France] Uli Hiestand, 1513 at the battle of Novarra [Italy] Hans Hiestand and also in the campaign in Lombardy [Italy] two Hans Hiestands were present.
In an almost two hour lecture Councilman Hiestand explained the orign of the family. Already 12 years ago he had collected the necessary material for this, which demanded patience and a lot of work. In the name of those present, Josef Hiestand from Leutschen, Freienbach, thanked the lecturer for his great work and hopes that such a meeting could take place once again, at which the origin of the various family coats-of-arms also should be expounded upon.
Die Grenzpost am Zürichsee, für das zürcherisch-schwyzerische Grenzgebiet. 1865-1965, Richterswil 16. März 1959
The Lineage of the Hiestands. (Corr.) A rare meeting took place last Sunday in the open square of Richterswil. Municipal councilman Emil Hiestand has researched the Hiestand family line for years and could show evidence that this family line originated, like that of the Stricklers, in Samstagern. The historical evidence was gathered from various archives. The practice of using two names came into use in the 12th century and would first be born by nobility. Later the middle class copied this. Those ones with surnames named themselves again with another after their profession or occupation, to which group the Hiestands also belonged. From two records it is evident that the name Hiestand points to a small interval between the e and the s (hie stand). With greater probability it is presumed the name derives itself from «hie stand» [here stood]. The name Hiestand was first mentioned in a tax scroll in the year 1401. In the tax scroll of Wädenswil, in the year 1455 one Uli Hiestand in Wädesnwilerberg was named. As nearly all family-lines, this one had its own coat-of-arms as well. The first was a curved horn with three stars, an additional one bore an anchor and three stars. Richterswil presently [1959] counts 12 families and ten living alone, Wädenswil 14 families with the name Hiestand. The chronicle also shows that various Hiestands emigrated, apparently to the Palatinate [Germany] and to Philadelphia. One was even a ship's Captain on the high seas. The lecturer also showed a five dollar note signed by a Hiestand [Henry Clay Hiestand (1832-1884)]. Some Hiestands took part in the various [military] campaigns [see 1495-1516 Milanese campaigns]. In the name of the 58 present, Josef Hiestand of Leutschen, Freienbach [Schwyz] gave thanks for one of the best lectures.
Die Grenzpost am Zürichsee, für das zürcherisch-schwyzerische Grenzgebiet. 1865-1965, Richterswil 18. März 1959
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