• Triple citizenship level
• Acquisition of citizenship through descent (ius sanguinis)
• Prevention of statelessness

Of primary importance for Swiss researchers is the knowledge that every Swiss is a citizen of 1) his/her commune of origin, 2) his/her canton of origin and 3) the Confederation.  Swiss citizens are entered in the family register of their place of origin, which is the place where the family (usually the father) comes from. Do not confuse this with the place of birth or residence of the individual - they may not be one and the same. Many Swiss citizens have never actually seen their "place of origin!" 

Since Swiss citizenship records are not centralized, it is necessary to know the name of the place of origin to determine whether an individual is a Swiss citizen. You can find this indicated on official Swiss documents (birth, marriage, death certificates and passports.) These documents are registered both at the place of residence and the place of origin.

If you suspect you have Swiss ancestors, one of the first places you should check is the Familiennameenbuch, or Swiss Surname Book. This book lists the family names of all Swiss citizens in Switzerland in 1962 and indicates the place of origin, the year in which citizenship was originally granted for that surname in that place of origin, and the ancestry (previous place or country of citizenship). The book does not list individuals, only family names. It is extremely useful for tracing a family name to a region (place of origin). The Familiennamenbuch is available on FHL microfiche #6053507 as well as in book form at larger Family History Centers and libraries.