For centuries Swiss emigrated into all parts of the known world. Most went to European regions, about one third settled in transoceanic lands, especially in portions of North America that later became part of the United States. Swiss went abroad as soldiers, merchants, missionaries, trades people and farmers and formed a small contingent of the post-1500 European overseas expansion.

Before 1820 some 25,000 Swiss are estimated to have settled in British North America, especially in regions of today's Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. About as many Swiss arrived between 1820 and 1860 in the newly established nation and took up residence mainly in Midwestern states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Between 1860 and 1880 Swiss immigrants numbered some 50,000, between 1881 and 1890 about 82,000. During the next three decades an estimated total of 90'000 arrived. Since 1930 professional and often merely temporary migrations took place and involved until 1900 about 63,000 Swiss.

Although in the 19th century some predominantly Swiss settlements like Highland (Illinois), New Glarus (Wisconsin), Gruetli (Tennessee) and Bernstadt (Kentucky) emerged, most Swiss went either to established rural villages and towns of the Midwest and the Pacific coast where especially the Italian Swiss were engaged in California's viticulture, or then settled in industrial or urban centres such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis or San Francisco. Numerous Swiss found the lifestyle and political institutions of the United States most compatible with those of their native land and, as Swiss Americans, became attached to both countries.

Places in the USA with Swiss Names:

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US map: Persons of Swiss ancestry

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Swiss emigrants played a role in settling communities world-wide in place names such as Geneva (Alabama, Idaho, New York and Ohio) Bern in Idaho, New Bern in North Carolina, Bernstadt in Kentucky, New Glarus in Wisconsin, New St Gallen in W Virginia, Vevay and Switzerland County in Indiana, Tell City in Ohio, Grutli in Tennessee, Helvetia in W Virginia and Oregon, and Nova Friburgo and Nouvelle Genève in Brazil.