Like the melodious song of a Swiss Alphorn, the family name of Giezendanner or Getzendanner has echoed across the Toggenburg Valley of northeastern Switzerland for many centuries. The historic farm "Hof Giezendan/Getzendan" from which the family surname evolved was located southeast of the village of Wattwil, St. Gallen Canton, in an area named Schmidberg. A document from 1396 AD -- "Hainin und Uli us Hof Getzendal" -- records the farm and the earliest known Giezendanners.

Family members are now spread throughout the world and spell their surname in a variety of ways -- Giezendanner, Getzendanner, Giesendanner, Gissendanner, Gitzendanner, Giezentanner, Getson, Danner, etc. The first world wide gathering of the family occured in 1997 when several hundred persons participated in the Celebration of the 265th Anniversary of the arrival of Christian Getzendanner in what is now know as Frederick, Maryland, USA.

Active family research continues and a world wide database is being developed. In the year 2000, Joop Giesendanner of Amsterdam, Holland has been translating the 1737 AD Gissendanner Records in South Carolina, and David Getzendanner, of Salem, Oregon has just published his third book titled "The Giezendanners of Australia". Interested persons are invited to make comments or ask questions via the Family News button (see below).

BOOKS: Getzendanner Family History
PROGRESS: Getzendanner Cemetery Fund
NEWS: Getzendanner Family News.
EUROPE: Getzendanner Surnames & Links
REPORT: Getzendanner Family Celebration
WHO: Getzendanner Who's Who