Bevölkerungsverzeichniss Abbreviations

Many Swiss and German religious census documents use abbreviations. They let the reader know the approximate age of the person with how much religious education they have completed.

Here are some helps in understanding what the abbreviations mean-

1679 Bevölkerungsverzeichnisse religious abbreviations Film 007765846 page 380

Wolf: 

Nota. (transcription)
Explicatio numerorum et abbreviaturarum per totum Catalogum observanda.
Numerus parentibus praefixus denotat familias in quovis page.Numerus liberis in medio praefixus indicat annos aetatis eorum.Abbreviatturae postpositae innuunt scientiam ipsorum Catecheticam hoc modo notatam.
… Tenent et recitant …
Explanation of the numbers and abbreviations to be observed throughout the catalogue.
A number in front of the parents identifies the families on each page.
The number preceding the children in the centre indicates their age.
The following abbreviations indicate their catechetical knowledge labelled in this way.
... They understand and recite ...
Or.Do. >>> Orationem Dominicam (Sunday Prayer)
Symb. >>> Symbolum Apostolicum (Confession of faith)
Deca. >>> Decalogum (The Ten Commandments)
C.M.int. >>> Catechismum majorem integrum (Complete Large Catechism)
Q.CM.C. >>> Quaestiones Catechismi majoris ascriptas (Questions about the Large Catechism)
Testi. >>> Testimoniae Scripturaer Sacrae (The testimony of the Holy Scriptures)
Fr.int. >>> Fragmentae usquae ad Deca. Symb. Or.Do. (Fragments of the Ten Commandments, Confession of faith and Sunday Prayer)
Commu. >>> Communicantes coelibes ante S. [….] examinandi (Unmarried communicants prior to the ... exam)

Hirzel-Bevölkerungsverz-1682-Abkürzungen-English

1709 Census abbreviations page 713 film 008014129

1689 Bevölkerungsverzeichnis  Mettmenstetten EII250
film 008014133 page 316This is an example of a church summary
for a smallcommunity which shows the Kircke education progress
for the locals. 

Wolf:
Im .... der Gmeind Dachelsen zugehörig

First a household:
Heini Wÿß / Elsbeth Grobin
Children: Elsbethli 06.10.72 / Hans
Ancilla (servant): Susanna Häfeli v(on) Lunnern 30 iar (Jahr)

Then we have some statistics:
Haushaltungen 21 (households)
Ehen 26 (marriages - likely in the sense of married couples)
Communicantes 78 (persons who have had their first communion)
Seelen 139 (souls = persons)

… and books:
Biblen 10 (bibles)
N(eues) Testament 3 (new testaments)
Psalmenbücher 22 (book of psalms)
Zeügnusbücher 23 (catechism with bible quotes)

Bottom right it says "Rossauw" - is that indicating that the village of Rossau is following next page?