In early history (500 to 1200 CE), the Nideröst family were farmers in the Schywz area.  In the valley where the towns of Schwyz, Oberschönenbuch, Brunnen, and Ibach are now, there was a settlement in the fertile area below the Mythen mountains.   There is a legend that a man named Imhof lived in this valley around the year 800.  He had two sons.  The taller one he called Obrist and the shorter one he called Nidrist (In German, ober means "top" or "high", nieder means "low" or "short", and ist means "is").  This is the story of how the Nideröst family got it's name.   Later the name changed from Nidrist to Niderist.    On a trip to Vienna in 1701, Franz Leodegar Niderist and his brother Johann Jost became Knights to King Leopold.  Shortly thereafter He acquired a regiment for the King and was advanced to a Field Marshall General. In 1736, King Charles (Karl) VI of Austria raised Franz Leodegar Niderist and his brother to nobility (Reichsfreiherrenstand), the name became  Nideröst.   Nideroest is another spelling of Nideröst.  Niderost is the American spelling of Nideröst. (The correct pronunciation of the original name "Nideröst" is "NEED-der-ersht" commonly pronounced in Schwyz "NEED-der-isht")
The Niderost line is composed of Officers, Magistrates, Clergymen, Knights, Judges, City Councilmen, Barons, and Patrons of the Catholic Church. In the 15th through the 18th centuries, one of Switzerland's principal exports was Mercenaries. This is why many of the Niderost line fought for foreign countries.   The Niderösts were part of the Swiss Alliance formed in August  1291.  They  fought at the Battle of Morgarten where the Swiss defeated the Hapsburg army in 1315, and died in the crushing defeat at the battle of Marignano.
Schwyz	The original home of the family Niderost is the Nidivasser district in Oberschönenbuch (now part of the city of Schwyz) of the Old Schwyz ("Swiss") Country. Schwyz is one of the most ancient cantons (states) of Switzerland. Originally an independent country, Schwyz joined with the Cantons of Uri and Unterwalden, the three original countries that formed the Swiss or Helvetic Federation (Oath on the Rütli) on August 1, 1291. Switzerland was named after Schwyz, one of the founding Cantons. On September 14, 1515 the Swiss, siding with Pope Julius II against Louis XII of France suffered a crushing defeat at Marignano (near Milan), Italy. The Patriarch of the Niderost line, Martin Niderist was killed in this battle.
In the year 1700, as Swiss Magistrate, Franz Leodegar Nideröst built a castle on the outskirts of Uetenbach. Today this castle is called "Maihof" in Schwyz. A branch of the Niderist family became Nideröst (actually "von Nideröst") in 1701 when Franz Leodegar Niderist and his brother Johann Jost Niderist became Knights to King Leopold in Vienna. Karl Ignaz Nideröst,(son of Johann Jost Nideröst) was a Captain in the Betschart regiment of Spain. He went with Müller's regiment in Venice to Dalmatien. He joined the Spanish army as a Major and later was made a Colonel in his own regiment. He fought in East Africa, Italy and Sicily where he died in the siege of Syracuse in 1736. On June 15, 1736, the sons of Franz Leodegar von Nideröst (Josef Franz Anton Nideröst and Jost Rudolf Nideröst) and their decendants for all time were raised to Nobility (Reichsfreiherrenstand)" with the title "Noble-born from Nider-Oest" by Kaiser Karl VI, of the Kingdom of Austria. (By my calculations I am a 4th cousin 8 times removed from Franz Anton and Jost Rudolph). Regina Nideröst was the last of the noble lineage. She had no children and in 1859, had to return the certificate of nobility to the Niderists in Brunnen and Schwyz. Today the original certificate is now safely deposited at the federal letter museum in Schwyz.
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BIOGRAPHIES
Martin Niderist Born: c 1475
Martin Niderist, from Oberschönenbuch (now part of the city of Schwyz) was married to Anna Stauffacher. On September 14, 1515- the Swiss, siding with Pope Julius II against Louis XII of France, suffered a crushing defeat at Marignano (near Milan), Italy. The Patriarch of the Niderist line was killed in this war.

Josef Leonhard Niderist Born: c. 1520
	Josef Lienhard Niderist the First, grandson of Martin, was married to Anna Marty. Lienhard the first had five sons, but only two had children - Martin and Mathäus. Lienhard founded St. Katharina Chapel in Oberschönenbuch in 1581. The site of this chapel is above the present chapel built in 1691.
Martin Niderist Born: c. 1540
Martin's son from the marriage with Katharina Büeler was Lienhard the Second.
Josef Leonhard Niderist Born: c 1565
	Josef Lienhard Niderist the Second, great grandson of Martin Lienhard the Second, Governor of Mendrisio, had a son Jakob in 1585 with his first wife Dorothea . Then in 1589 they had Christoph and in 1591 Johann Jost. With his second wife, Barbara Fischer von Fischingen He had a son, Johann Kaspar in 1596. From Johann Kaspar comes the Niderist in Ingenbohl, Schwyz.
Christoph Niderist Born: 1589
Christoph Niderist was a Doctor of Theology, then became clergyman of Weesen and a deacon of the District of Landquart.
Johannes Niderist Born: c. 1590
Johannes Niderist, son of Mathäus and Mathä Niderist had two sons from his wife Gertrud Inderbitzen: Peter and Lienhard.
Johann Jost Niderist Born: 1591
Johann Jost Niderist was married to Barbara Kothig. They had five daughters and nine sons. Three sons died of the plague.
Peter Niderist Born: 4-13-1622
Peter Niderist (forefather of the Niderosts in North America),son of Johannes Niderist, was a city councilman and Siebner (sifter) from 1664 to 1668. In 1691, with his cousin Franz Anton, built the new St. Katharina Chapel just below the site of the original chapel built in 1581 by Lienhard Niderist. From the marriage with Katherina Mettler and Elisabeth Pfyl began the Niderist in Oberschönenbuch and Iberg.
Lienhard Niderist Born: c 1624
Lienhard Niderist, the second son of Johann, married Klara Janser and Barbara Rickenmann. Lienhard's decendants are the Printer Niderist in Unterdorf Schwyz, the Niderist in Dorfbach and Alois Niderist, who printed the Army magazine in Seewen.
Hieronymus Niderist Born: 1628
Hieronymus continued his studies as a Priest at the Salzburg College. He tutored two sons of the brother of the Count von Kshnberg, traveling with them for four years. After his homecoming, he received a lucrative job to take over the Parish of Pöls in Steirmark county and was awarded the Canon. As a bishops' counselor and notary for the church, he founded the family chapel in Oberschönenbuch where he gave two weekly holy masses and began a scholarship for two students of the Niderist lineage.
Johann Jost Niderist Born: 1643
Johann Jost II married Theresia Fassbind. He was Governor of Bollenz from 1680 to 1681 and 1713 to 1714. Later he was a Roman Federal Judge. Johann Jost II died in 1724.
Franz Leodegar Niderist Born: 1646
	Franz Leodegar Niderist went into the French Army and became a Captain-Lieutenant in the Regiment of Salis, Netherlands where he fought in a war. After coming home he bought a company for the Spanish Regiment Amrhyn in Italy, then entered into the Royal Army and became a General. In between time, he held several public positions, he was District Governor in 1685 and 1690 to 1692. From 1701 to 1702 was Mayor and Landamann. On a trip to Vienna in 1701, he and his brother Johann Jost became Knights to King Leopold.  Shortly thereafter He acquired a regiment for the King and was advanced to a Field Marshall General. He was married to Regina Elisabetha Gasser. Near the end of the 17th century as Swiss Magistrate he built a castle with walls, towers, and arches, on the outskirts of Uetenbach. Today this home is called Maihof in Schwyz. Later his son franz Anton under the direction of his brother Jost Rudolf, enlarged and improved it.
Johann Nazar Niderist Born: 1671
Nazar served under the Duke of the Saxons (France), following that, Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of Spain in the regiment of his brother Karl Ignaz. He died in Italy in 1736.
Josef Anton Niderist Born: c. 1674
Josef Anton gave the early mass in the canton Schwyz.
Karl Ignaz Niderist Born: 1678
Karl Ignaz was a Captain in the Betschart Regiment in the service of Spain. He came with Müller's regiment in Venice to Dalmatien. He joined the Spanish Army as a Major and later was made a Colonel in his own Swiss regiment. He fought in East-Africa, Italy and Sicily. He died at the siege of Syrakus in 1736. Two of his sons served in his regiment, while the third. P Dominkus was in Lucerne as a Jesuit Priest. This line died out.

Josef Franz Anton Nideröst Born: 1680

Josef Franz Anton Niderist first served in Milan, Italy and then in the Waldstätter Regiment, which was under his Father's command. He served as a Captain in the service of the empire in the regiment of the Austrian foresters' region of his brother in 1702, Major in 1711, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1717 and became Major-General in 1736. King Karl VI appointed him General Field Marshall and raised him and his brother Jost Rudolf with all their male and female decendants for all time to nobility (Reichsfreiherrenstand) with the title "Noble-born from Nider-Oest." In his diploma it explains that this family has been in the Kanton Schwyz for hundreds of years. They were recognized as a higher class of distinguished Roman citizens, as well as some of their forefathers. Their wealth and blood was sacrificial against the Sarazenen (old German Tribe.) As told by the saga of the movement of the Urner, Schwyzer, Unterwalder and Haslitaler to Rome in the year 829 at the time of Pope Anastasius. It also mentions that Josef Franz Anton Nideröst had, years before (1725), received the office of Erbtruchsessenamt from the Royal Monastery from the town of Muri. Specially mentioned is the service that the brethren Landamann Franz Leodegar, and Governor Johann Jodok rendered to the King and the Kingdom. In this certificate if gives these men Freiherrn, the inherited right to use and carry the improved crest for all time. The complicated description of the crest shows a shield divided on the right half a line of a river bears to the left accompanied an the right side by a wide Maltese white cross on red; on the left of the river three red roses on white; two helmets with crowns on them; on right, a little man dressed in red and white; in his right hand he holds a Maltese cross and in his left hand he holds a black double eagle and four little flags each showing the entire crest. This shows the growth of the crest of Landammann Franz Leodegar Niderist with the addition of the half eagle. In 1691 he and his cousin Peter Niderist, built the new St. Katharina Chapel in Oberschönenbuch. The site is located just below the Old St. Katharina Chapel built in 1581 by Lienhard Niderist. One of his descendants was a Patron of the Chapel and was in charge of it. If there was a clergyman from this lineage, he had first right to the inheritance. In the year 1906 the Chapel with its entire wealth of the Oberschönenbuch Chapel was given to the Church Collegues. The altar picture of the marriage of the Holy Latharina from the 1700's bears the crest of Franz Leodegar Niderist. Colonel Josef Franz Anton was a District Governor from 1721 to 1722 and 1729 to 1730. From his wife Regina Franziskz Betschart from Immenfeld he had four daughters and three sons: Karl Josef Nikolaus Felix, Josef Franz Bernhard and Josef Karl Leodegar, who didn't have any children.

 

Jost Rudolph Niderist Born: 1686

While Jost Rudolf was in the Wäldstätte Regiment in 1705, he became Lieutenant, Adjutant Major and then Captain. He resigned from the Regiment in 1725 to go home. In 1736 with his brother Franz Anton they were raised to nobility. (See the biography of Josef Franz Anton Nideröst, for details of Nobility and the improved crest.) In the Schwyz he was Captain in charge of supplies (artillery commander), in 1728. In 1733 he was placed in command of a regiment in the town of Nideröst in Spain. As a qualified engineer, he drew some very valuable maps of Schwyz and the surrounding areas, with plans of the buildings, courts, gardens, wells and pipelines, all of which are in an archive. He was Married to Anna Kyd and had eight sons and five daughters. In 1770 he died in Schwyz.

Franz Dominic Niderist Born: c. 1704

Franz Dominic served in the King's Army.

Franz Rudolf Nideröst Born: 1724

Franz Rudolf, son of Jost Rudolf, in 1741, took command of his father's regiment in Spain. After his resignation, he became secretary of the Monestary of Pfäfers.

Anton Ignaz Nideröst Born: 1731

Anton Ignaz, son of Jost Rudolf, was born 1731 in Fürsprech. He lived in Feldli. He was father of Josef Viktor and Regina.

Josef Anton Xaver Nideröst Born: 1732

Josef Anton Xaver, son of Jost Rudolf, was a Colonel and served in Napolian's Army. He died in a duel in 1767. He left a son, Rudolf, who died in 1850 as a Major in Naples.

Johann Nepomuk Nideröst Born: 1733

Johann Nepomuk, son of Jost Rudolf, called Abbate Nideröst recieved an inheritance in Schönenbuch.

Michael Niderist Born: 1742

Michael of Schonenbuch, born in 1742, adminstrator of buildings; district judge in 1806 to 1809, died in 1813.

Josef Martin Niderist Born: 1778

Josef Martin, son of Michael, born in 1778 was a painter (artist) in Augsbourg, where he died in 1801.

Balthasar Nideröst Born: c 1780

Lieutenant-Colonel, member of the tribal council of 1833; died at Thoune in 1833.

Josef Sigmund Niderist Born: 1785

Josef Sigmund, brother of Balthasar, born in 1785 at Schwyz; engineer, Captain in the service of France, author of several bas- reliefs. He constructed the large relief of the Garden of Glaciers in Lucerne, representing the Muotatal at battle that delivered them from the Russians and French on December 1, 1799; died in Schwyz in 1854.

Josef Vicktor Nideröst Born: 1788

Josef Viktor, son of Anton Ignaz, was a Lieutenant in the Spanish Army and an officer in Canton Schwyz.

Josef Anton Niderist Born: 1804

Josef Anton, born in 1804 at Brunnen; engraver and die-maker at the court of the grand-duchy of Tuscany; died in Florence in 1856.

Josef Maria Niderist Born: 1821

Josef Maria of Schonenbuch, born in 1821; municipal councellor in 1852 to 1856; administrative councellor in 1854; Grand Council in 1862.

Emmanuel Niderist

Emmanuel became a Kapuziner monk and received the name Justinian. He died in 1711 as Vikar of Baden.

Franz Carl Justus Niderist

Franz Karl Justus became a monk known as P. Ignatius in Wettingen.

Josef Leodegar Niderist

Josef Leodegar Niderist became a monk known as P. Thomas Benediktiner of St. Gallen, where he died in 1697 as Mayor.

Melchior Niderist

Melchior of Aufiberg, of the council of 1821, district judge in 1833, councellor of the district in 1836; died in 1836.

Regina Nideröst

Regina, daughter of Anton Ignaz, was the last of the noble lineage and she owned the certificate of nobility. In 1859 she returned the certificate to the Niderist in Brunnen and Schwyz. One of the original copies of the patent of nobility is now safely deposited at the Austrian archives.