Obama Could Boost Genealogy Craze In Switzerland
The United States was a magnet for Swiss immigrants - as it was for many Europeans – from the 17th up to the first half of the 20th century.
Many places in the US saw such a large influx of Swiss that they were named after the town or village the immigrants left behind in Switzerland.
In Obama's case, the US president-elect may be able to trace part of his European roots back to a man by the name of Christian Gutknecht, who emigrated from the village of Bischwiller in what is today the French region of Alsace, but at the time was a Bavarian duchy.
A local archivist in Bischwiller claimed in September that Gutknecht's parents probably came from canton Bern at the beginning of the 18th century.
Gutknecht, who was born in 1722, changed his name to Goodnight in America.
Many places in the US saw such a large influx of Swiss that they were named after the town or village the immigrants left behind in Switzerland.
In Obama's case, the US president-elect may be able to trace part of his European roots back to a man by the name of Christian Gutknecht, who emigrated from the village of Bischwiller in what is today the French region of Alsace, but at the time was a Bavarian duchy.
A local archivist in Bischwiller claimed in September that Gutknecht's parents probably came from canton Bern at the beginning of the 18th century.
Gutknecht, who was born in 1722, changed his name to Goodnight in America.
While it seems both Germany and Switzerland want to claim Obama as a native son - six generations removed – the story illustrates the growing interest in immigration among historians and the public.
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Comments
We had a Politician here in Minnesota named Gil Gutnecht,it would be a good thing-many Germans/Swedes have connection,many here-USA,now we need to find GER/POL get into politics so Posen/Poznan,gets hi-lited so I can find my relitives-WWII put a dent in finding living who would of some how held onto info-many have no history,maybe if poltic's helps the books & info can be in English-guess one can only hope-get futher then I am in my prov.of Posen ancestors.
Christian Gutknecht, born in 1722, was my ancestor. He came to Germantown/Philadelphia in 1749. He had three sons Christian Gutknecht II, Samuel Gutknecht, and John Christopher Gutknecht. Samuel and John Christopher later moved from Germantown and changed their names to Goodnight. Christian Gutknecht, the oldest son, never changed his name to Goodnight, although some records erroneously refer to him that way. Christian Gutknecht's son, John Gutknecht, changed the spelling of the name to Gudknecht. And that is how all of us who are ancestors of Christian Gutknecht/Gudknecht --and who remained in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area--still spell our name. It would be nice to know if Kerzers in Switzerland is where my Christian Gutknecht originally came from. Thank you..
My busdriver is a descendant of Gutknecht.
Not just Obama has Swiss ancestors, Laurence Herman "Gus" Versluis and James Frederick Fayard, III have very little African ancestry (Versluis has the 9th great-grandmother of African ancestry and Fayard has the 7th great-grandmother of African ancestry) and have Swiss ancestry. No joking!
James Frederick Fayard, III is related to Christine Chauvin DeLery (some sources say she is black and some sources say she is not). It is according to http://www.bayoubohemia.net/genealo...
My Great Great Grandfather Rudolph Gutknecht along with three brothers, came From Bern Switzerland to the USA in middle 1800, settling in Indianapolis, IN. Two of the brothers went North into Michigan or Wisconsin, Rudolph moved to Corydon, In and latter died there. He had son named Edward Gutkknecht , who had two sons and two daughters. Thedore Joseph Gutknecht, Wm Gutknecht, Lillie G. Crone, Eva G. Sailor. All of their children still reside in the Corydon, Indiana area of Harrison County. I would like to hear from any one possibly connected the thes e four brothers that came from Switzerland. Two of the brothers were twins, John other names unknown.