Federer family
{{short description|Swiss family}}
{{Infobox noble house
|surname = Federer
|native_name =
|other_name =
|coat of arms = FedererCoatOfArms.jpg
|image_size = 160px
|caption = Coat of Arms of the Federers von Berneck
|origin = Berneck, St. Gallen, Switzerland
|country = {{SUI}}
|founded =
|founder =
|titles = Ammann of Berneck
|final ruler =
|current head =
|deposition =
| other_families = In der Maur
| traditions = Roman Catholicism
|cadet branches =
}}
The Federer family is an old Swiss family that is part of the bourgeoisie of Berneck, St. Gallen. The family originated in the 16th century with members holding local government offices under the Prince-Abbots of the Abbey of St. Gallen. Notable members of the family include the retired tennis player Roger Federer, the Catholic priest and writer Heinrich Federer, and the politician Barbara Schmid-Federer.
History
The Federer family originates in the 16th century from the village of Berneck, St. Gallen in northeastern Switzerland, near the Austrian border.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-roger-federer-switzerland-equivalent-royal-family-uk-swiss-abbot-related-tennis-superstar|title="Roger Federer in Switzerland would be equivalent to the royal family in the UK" - Swiss abbot who is related to the tennis superstar|website=www.sportskeeda.com|date=26 March 2021 }} As part of the Swiss bourgeoisie, members of the family were entitled to positions in the local government. The name Federer translates from the Swiss German word for "feather" or "quill", referencing the family's role as scribes in Berneck.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/travel/roger-federer-switzerland.html|title=Searching for Roger Federer|first=Dave|last=Seminara|date=March 25, 2021|via=NYTimes.com}} In 1544, Ulrich Federer served as the Ammann of Berneck for the Prince-Abbots of St. Gallen.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J-pXGwAACAAJ&q=Federer|title=Die Geschichte des Hofes Bernang und der Gemeinde Berneck|first=Jakob|last=Boesch|date=September 6, 1968|publisher=Gemeinde[verwaltung]|via=Google Books}} Sebastian Federer served as Ammann in 1665.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qGEXAAAAYAAJ&q=Federer&pg=PA265|title=Der Hof Bernang|first=Johannes|last=Göldi|date=September 6, 1897|publisher=in Comm. bei der Fehr'schen Buchhandlung (Huber & Company)|via=Google Books}} The Federer family coat of arms includes a gold cross atop a white feather on a red shield.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chgh.ch/3759-f/fechter-feyerabend/federer/9872-federer-berneck.html|title=FEDERER von Berneck SG|website=www.chgh.ch}}
In 1525, during the Reformation in Switzerland, the population of Berneck converted from Catholicism to Protestantism, following the teachings of Huldrych Zwingli.{{Cite web|url=https://www.berneck.ch/de/portrait/geschichte/welcome.php?action=showinfo&info_id=6795|title=Gemeinde Berneck Online: Geschichte|website=www.berneck.ch}} By 1532, the Federer family had converted back to Catholicism.
In 1848 Berneck suffered a great fire that destroyed over one hundred buildings in the village. A branch of the Federer family were blamed by the rest of the clan for the fire, and were cast out of the municipality. Members of the family later settled in Baden, Eichberg, St. Gallen, and Rebstein.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chgh.ch/3759-f/fechter-feyerabend/federer|title=FEDERER|website=www.chgh.ch}}
In 2019, Jakob Federer served as the vice president of Berneck.
Notable members
- Josef Anton Sebastian Federer (1793–1868), Swiss theologian and politician
- Heinrich Federer (1866–1928), Swiss writer and Catholic priest
- Barbara Schmid-Federer (b. 1965), Swiss politician
- Urban Federer (b. 1968), Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church
- Mirka Federer (b. 1978), Swiss retired tennis player
- Roger Federer (b. 1981), Swiss retired tennis player