Burkholder - Burkhalter Surname Project- Background

Background

The family surname can be traced to the Canton, Berne, Switzerland. The eastern part of the province, the Emmenthal Valley and the villages of Langnau and Ruderswyl.

This family was among the early protestants and also non-conformists of the Reformed Church. These people believed that the government had no authority over their religious worship, that the church and state should be under separate organizations. That children should not be baptized, that it was a rite should be administered only to persons who had made their peace with God and had arrived at the years of understanding. They believed in peace and were opposed to serving in the army.

Hence they were at variance with both the government and the established church in Switzerland. They suffered all kinds of persecutions but held to their convictions. Some were sold to the Italian galleys, some were imprisoned, some were executed, many were exiled to other countries and when the migrations to America began in 1709 they came direct from Switzerland to the the US.

The immigration to the US has resulted in a lack of clarity surrounding some current lines association with documented Swiss based lineages. Participation in this project will lay the groundwork for investigating and potentially answering questions dealing with whom begat whom. :-)