Swiss Amish facts for kids

The Swiss Amish are a special group of Amish people. They came to the United States in the mid-1800s. Most of them traveled directly from Switzerland and a region called Alsace. This was different from other Amish who came earlier through Germany.

Swiss Amish do not speak Pennsylvania German. Instead, they speak different German dialects. These include a type of Bernese German or an Alsatian dialect. Their main communities are in Adams County, Indiana and Allen County, Indiana. They are part of two different Amish groups.

History of Swiss Amish

Amish families from Switzerland, Alsace, and the Montbéliard area first arrived in the Midwest in the 1830s. In 1835, Amish from Bern and the Jura Mountains settled in Wayne County, Ohio. They later moved west in 1840. This led to the founding of a community in Adams County, Indiana.

In 1850, Amish from Montbéliard settled in Stark County, Ohio. They then started a community in Allen County, Indiana in 1852. Not all Swiss Amish moves are fully known. The Amish settlement in Daviess County, Indiana began in 1868. Many Swiss Amish from Allen County settled there. However, this group later joined the Pennsylvania German Amish culture. Some people in Daviess County still speak the Alsatian dialect today.

Swiss Amish Culture and Traditions

How Swiss Amish Use Technology

The Swiss Amish are very traditional. They use less technology than most other Amish groups. For example, Swiss Amish only use open buggies. They also mark graves with simple wooden stakes. These stakes only show the first letters of the person's name.

Languages Spoken by Swiss Amish

Most people who speak the Alsatian dialect also understand or speak Pennsylvania German.

Yodeling Among Swiss Amish

The Swiss Amish in Adams County still practice yodeling. This is a special way of singing from their homeland in Switzerland. Some in Allen County also yodel, but less often. A researcher named Chad Thompson says almost every Amish person in Adams County can yodel. Yodeling is an important part of their Swiss Amish identity. You can find examples of Swiss Amish yodeling online.

Common Swiss Amish Last Names

Some last names are very common among the Swiss Amish. These names are not often found in other places. They include Schwartz, Hilty, Lengacher, Graber, Wittmer, Shetler, Christner, Eicher, Girod, Wengerd, and Wickey.

Swiss Amish Population and Communities

In 1960, there were about 1,900 Swiss Amish people. By 2015, this number grew to an estimated 21,195.

As of 2011, the two Swiss Amish groups had 152 church districts. This was out of 1,913 total Amish church districts. This means they made up about seven to eight percent of all Amish. Most Swiss Amish live in Indiana. However, there are also Swiss Amish communities in other states. These include Michigan, New York, Missouri, and Ohio.

The largest Swiss Amish community is in Adams County, Indiana. It is near Berne. In 2010, this community had 7,502 Amish people. The second largest Swiss Amish community is in Allen County, Indiana. This is northeast of Fort Wayne. In 2010, it had 3,466 Amish people.

A large Swiss Amish community started in 1968 near Seymour, Missouri. In 2014, it had 13 church districts. The total Amish population there was about 2,250 people.