• French Genealogist Marie-Odile PERES,
• Les Familles de Bining de 1660 a' 1905, Cercle genealogigue du Pays de Bitche, Auteur : Beatrice KIRSCH,
• Le livre des familles d'Achen et de Kalhausen, Auteur : Jean MEYER,
• Emil SCHEIBENSTOCK, bien connue, chercheur de l'histoire du Montafon la famille Vallée,
• Don Heinrich TOLZMANN, PhD., German-American Studies at the University of Cincinnati,
• Internet and microfilm records from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and
• Les entrevues et les documents de plusieurs membres vivants de la  GAVANESCH (E), GAVENESCH, GAFANESCH GAFENESCH, GABENISCH, et les familles GABENESCH en Europe occidentale.

I have developed very extensive family trees based on the information provided through the research sources listed above, including many hand-written family trees from personal records of the families in Austria, France, and Germany.  If you are a member of these families and are interested in seeing my records, please contact me at: mgabennesch@fuse.net   Special recognition is warranted for Colette CHRISTIANY nee GABENESCH (daughter of Martin GABENESCH who was awarded the French Legion of Honor medal);  without her unbridled spirit, tireless efforts, and ability to speak French, German, and English - none of this would be possible.

The Goals of this website are:

• To show through genetic testing and conventional genealogical research methodologies,  that the GABENNESCH, GABENESCH, GABENISCH, GAFANESCH, GAFENESCH, GAVENESCH and GAVANESCH(E) families known to be living in, or have lived in Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States - share a common ancestor.

• To identify GAVANESCH(E), GAVENESCH, GAFANESCH, GAFENESCH, GABENESCH, and GABENISCH families in other parts of the world that also share a common ancestor with us. 

During the Summer of 2007, I was privileged to visit le Pays de Bitche, and meet Beatrice KIRSCH and several of members of the GABENESCH family.  I was honored with a warm welcome from Christian MARTINE, Maire de BINING.  Christian MARTINE's wife is Marie-Reine nee GABENESCH (daughter of Leon GABENESCH).

During the Summer of 2010, I was able to return to Western Europe where I met members of the GAVANESCH, GABENISCH, and GAFANESCH families.  I visited the Montafon Valley, Voralberg, Austria where I met Emil SCHEIBENSTOCK.  His research into the history of Montafon Valley families is maintained in the Montafon Museum in Schruns, along with the work of his predecessor, Ludwig VALLASTER, a well-known Montafon family researcher.

Je suis honoré d'être le secrétaire historique de la famille, et l'administrateur de ce site.

Membres de la famille sont les bienvenus GAVANESCHE pour voir la famille, et des photos sur facebook régionales:

http://www.facebook.com/michael.gabennesch

http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgabennesch/

Regards,

Michael Stephen GABENNESCH
Cincinnati, Ohio USA


Conventional Genealogical Research Results:

Although the "original" surname was GAVANESCHE (the only surname variation no longer in use), it evolved to GAVANESCH, GAVENESCH, GAFANESCH, GAFENESCH, GABENESCH, GABENISCH, and GABENNESCH.

General consensus from current research data, and researchers of the Montafon Valley, is that the family has ancestral roots in Raetia; and that the surname is derived from CAVA NETSCH.  It refers to the gathering of borstgras which is a short, soft grass that grows in the Alps.  One of the things borstgras was used for is bedding.