Démoret

Origin of the name Démoret

The village is mentioned in 1154 as «Donmores» and in 1453 as «Demoret». The name is said to come from the patron saint of the parish, Saint Maurice, one form of whose name would be combined with the epithet «dominus»: «Donmores» would be a corruption of «Dominus Mauritius» (to be cross-checked).

Founding of Démoret

The territory of Démoret was occupied long before the Middle Ages: remains of Helvetian fortifications, Roman walls, Roman coins and a Burgundian cemetery have been found there. None of the sources consulted names a founder of the village. In the Middle Ages the lordship of Démoret belonged to the lords of Portalban; in 1369 it was divided between the Fernay of Vuissens and the Arma of Moudon. The parish, mentioned from 1228 and dedicated to Saint Maurice, had two daughter churches, Molondin and Vuissens. Under Bernese rule the lordship passed to the family of the Fribourg avoyer Praroman, then to the Treytorrens (1596) and to the Doxat (1675), who kept it until the end of the Ancien Régime.

History of Démoret

Helvetian period. Remains of Helvetian fortifications attest an early occupation of the site.

Roman period. Roman walls and coins of the emperors Antoninus, Valens and Valentinian.

Early Middle Ages. A Burgundian cemetery bears witness to occupation in this period; the present church stands on the foundations of an earlier building of the 7th and 8th centuries (to be cross-checked).

1154. First mention of the village, as «Donmores».

1228. First mention of the parish, which has two daughter churches, Molondin and Vuissens.

1369. The lordship, until then held by the lords of Portalban, is divided between the Fernay of Vuissens and the Arma of Moudon.

1416. Démoret has 40 hearths.

1453. Mentioned as «Demoret»; the parish, with Molondin and Vuissens, has 56 hearths.

1500. Date of one of the two bells preserved in the Saint-Maurice church.

16th century. Under Bernese rule Démoret belongs to the bailiwick of Moudon and is the seat of a mayoral court (métralie). At the Reformation it becomes an annex of the parish of Chêne-Pâquier. Construction of one of the two castles.

1596. The lordship, previously acquired by the family of the Fribourg avoyer Praroman, passes to the Treytorrens.

1675. The lordship passes to the Doxat family, who keep it until the end of the Ancien Régime.

1679-1681. Alteration of the Saint-Maurice church.

1798. Démoret becomes part of the district of Yverdon.

1823. Rebuilding of the second castle.

21 September 1925. Adoption of the municipal coat of arms, inspired by that of the Doxat family, in honour of Nicolas Doxat (1682-1738), who distinguished himself at the siege of Belgrade.

1963-1965. Excavations uncover remains of a Roman settlement and a Burgundian necropolis.

20th century. The village, away from the regional routes, loses much of its population; its inhabitants live mainly from farming.

2008. Démoret becomes part of the new district of Jura-Nord vaudois.

Population of Démoret

Population of Démoret

1416	40 hearths (households)
1764	193
1850	259
1880	266
1900	213
1950	181
1980	103
2000	133
2025	181

Historic sites in Démoret

Saint-Maurice church. Parish church mentioned from 1228, regarded as one of the oldest in the region. Its choir dates from the late 13th or early 14th century; it was altered in 1679-1681 and keeps two bells, one of them from 1500.

Château d'En-Bas. One of the village's two castles, whose core goes back to the 16th century and which was altered and enlarged several times; it belonged to the Treytorrens (to be cross-checked).

Château d'En-Haut. Second castle, linked to the Doxat family, rebuilt in 1823.

The village. The whole village of Démoret is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (ISOS); it preserves characteristic farmhouses from the 17th to the 19th century.

Remains in Démoret

Helvetian fortifications. Remains of fortifications attributed to the Helvetii.

Roman remains. Roman walls and coins of the emperors Antoninus, Valens and Valentinian; the excavations of 1963-1965 uncovered remains of a Roman settlement.

Burgundian necropolis. Early medieval cemetery attributed to the Burgundians.

Deniers of Saint-Maurice. Coins (deniers) of Saint-Maurice found on the territory of Démoret.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Démoret »
• Wikipédia, « Démoret »
• Wikipedia (de), « Démoret »
• Wikipedia (en), « Démoret »
• Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Démoret

• Prahins (VD)
• Molondin (VD)
• Chanéaz (VD)
• Mézery-près-Donneloye (VD)
• Chêne-Pâquier (VD)