Eiken, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Eiken is a municipality
in the district of Laufenburg
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
and individual objects from the Alamanni
and Frankish Empire eras. Eiken is first mentioned in the first half of the 12th Century as Eitchon. The municipality of Sisseln
was originally an expansion of Eichen, and it remained part of the municipality until 1806, when it became independent.
Under the Habsburgs, Eichen was the center of the bailiwick
of Eichen. The municipality bought the its own Twingherrschaft
, which gave it local self-rule and limited court rights, in 16th Century. Eiken belonged to the Austrian Fricktal
until 1803 when it went to the newly formed canton of Aargau.
Some time before 1228 the Knight Rudolf Möhlin, was granted the patronage of his own church by St. Martin Church of Rheinfelden. This patronage included the Church of Eiken until 1868. Between 1871-73 Eiken built a new church, which was consecrated in 1891 to St. Vincent, Joseph and Mary. The Catholic
parish
of Eiken includes the municipalities of Münchwilen and Sisseln.
Until the 20th Century agriculture predominated in Eiken. After World War II
chemical plants and other industrial enterprises settled in the municipality. In 1990 two-thirds of the workforce worked in the industrial sector. However, by 2000 this number had dropped to about a quarter.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 5.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 7.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.8%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.8% of the area. Out of the forested land, 28.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.0% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 31.2% is used for growing crops and 11.4% is pastures, while 1.7% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, and .
The municipality is located in the Laufenburg district, in the upper Fricktal
on the old Bözberg road from Basel
to Zürich
. It consists of the linear village
of Eiken, which was originally a haufendorf village (an irregular, unplanned and quite closely packed village, built around a central square).
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules between four Ears of Wheat Or two dexter bendwise and two sinister bendwise sinister on a Pale of the last a Bailiff's Mace Sable.
The age distribution, , in Eiken is; 195 children or 9.8% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 246 teenagers or 12.3% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 256 people or 12.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 276 people or 13.8% are between 30 and 39, 387 people or 19.4% are between 40 and 49, and 262 people or 13.1% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 188 people or 9.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 145 people or 7.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 37 people or 1.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 7 people or 0.4% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 66.3% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 41 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 399 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 249 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 722 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.4 persons per household. there were 358 single family homes (or 42.3% of the total) out of a total of 847 homes and apartments. There were a total of 1 empty apartments for a 0.1% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 13.8 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 37.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(18.2%), the SP
(16.7%) and the FDP
(12.7%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Eiken about 73.1% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
). Of the school age population , there are 139 students attending primary school, there are 64 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
there were 886 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 725 or about 81.8% of the residents worked outside Eiken while 215 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 376 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 16% used public transportation to get to work, and 55.9% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there were 15 individuals (or about 0.86% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the district of Laufenburg
Laufenburg (district)
Laufenburg District is a district of the canton of Aargau, Switzerland, essentially consisting of the upper Fricktal valley in the Aargau Jura south of the Rhine. Its capital is the town of Laufenburg. It has a population of .-Geography:...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
History
The land was probably already occupied in the Roman eraSwitzerland in the Roman era
The history of Switzerland in the Roman era encompasses the roughly six centuries during which the territory of modern Switzerland was a part of the Roman Republic and Empire...
and individual objects from the Alamanni
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
and Frankish Empire eras. Eiken is first mentioned in the first half of the 12th Century as Eitchon. The municipality of Sisseln
Sisseln
Sisseln is a municipality in the district of Laufenburg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Sisseln has an area, , of . Of this area, or 32.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 19.8% is forested...
was originally an expansion of Eichen, and it remained part of the municipality until 1806, when it became independent.
Under the Habsburgs, Eichen was the center of the bailiwick
Bailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
of Eichen. The municipality bought the its own Twingherrschaft
Zwing und Bann
Zwing und Bann is a Swiss feudal set of rules and regulations governing justice and punishment in a village or villages. Zwing and Twing are different spellings based on the local Swiss German dialect. The magistrate or Zwingherr had legally binding rules and regulations in the exercise of low...
, which gave it local self-rule and limited court rights, in 16th Century. Eiken belonged to the Austrian Fricktal
Fricktal
The Fricktal region is the northwest finger extending from the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is situated in Northwestern Switzerland east of Basel, between the High Rhine forming the border with Germany in the north and the Jura Mountains in the south. The Fricktal contains the districts of...
until 1803 when it went to the newly formed canton of Aargau.
Some time before 1228 the Knight Rudolf Möhlin, was granted the patronage of his own church by St. Martin Church of Rheinfelden. This patronage included the Church of Eiken until 1868. Between 1871-73 Eiken built a new church, which was consecrated in 1891 to St. Vincent, Joseph and Mary. The Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Eiken includes the municipalities of Münchwilen and Sisseln.
Until the 20th Century agriculture predominated in Eiken. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
chemical plants and other industrial enterprises settled in the municipality. In 1990 two-thirds of the workforce worked in the industrial sector. However, by 2000 this number had dropped to about a quarter.
Geography
Eiken has an area, , of 7.08 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi). Of this area, 3.14 km² (1.2 sq mi) or 44.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.16 km² (0.833980662559876 sq mi) or 30.5% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.63 km² (0.629346518505832 sq mi) or 23.0% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.05 km² (12.4 acre) or 0.7% is either rivers or lakes and 0.03 km² (7.4 acre) or 0.4% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 5.1% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 7.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.8%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1.8% of the area. Out of the forested land, 28.5% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.0% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 31.2% is used for growing crops and 11.4% is pastures, while 1.7% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams. Of the unproductive areas, and .
The municipality is located in the Laufenburg district, in the upper Fricktal
Fricktal
The Fricktal region is the northwest finger extending from the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is situated in Northwestern Switzerland east of Basel, between the High Rhine forming the border with Germany in the north and the Jura Mountains in the south. The Fricktal contains the districts of...
on the old Bözberg road from Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
to Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. It consists of the linear village
Linear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
of Eiken, which was originally a haufendorf village (an irregular, unplanned and quite closely packed village, built around a central square).
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Gules between four Ears of Wheat Or two dexter bendwise and two sinister bendwise sinister on a Pale of the last a Bailiff's Mace Sable.
Demographics
Eiken has a population of , 14.8% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 16.8%. Most of the population speaks German (91.7%), with Albanian being second most common ( 2.3%) and Italian being third ( 1.4%).The age distribution, , in Eiken is; 195 children or 9.8% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 246 teenagers or 12.3% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 256 people or 12.8% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 276 people or 13.8% are between 30 and 39, 387 people or 19.4% are between 40 and 49, and 262 people or 13.1% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 188 people or 9.4% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 145 people or 7.3% are between 70 and 79, there are 37 people or 1.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 7 people or 0.4% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.56 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 66.3% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 41 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 399 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 249 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 722 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.4 persons per household. there were 358 single family homes (or 42.3% of the total) out of a total of 847 homes and apartments. There were a total of 1 empty apartments for a 0.1% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 13.8 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 37.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(18.2%), the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(16.7%) and the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(12.7%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Eiken about 73.1% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
). Of the school age population , there are 139 students attending primary school, there are 64 students attending secondary school in the municipality.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1768 | 451 |
| 1850 | 837 |
| 1900 | 795 |
| 1930 | 760 |
| 1950 | 892 |
| 2000 | 1,750 |
Economy
, Eiken had an unemployment rate of 2.39%. , there were 49 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 557 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 18 businesses in this sector. 242 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 41 businesses in this sector.there were 886 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 725 or about 81.8% of the residents worked outside Eiken while 215 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 376 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 16% used public transportation to get to work, and 55.9% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 1,024 or 58.5% were Roman Catholic, while 437 or 25.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
. Of the rest of the population, there were 15 individuals (or about 0.86% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
faith.