Rebévelier
Origin of the name Rebévelier
The name appears around 1181 in the form «Robervilier». It has not been explained.[1]
Founding of Rebévelier
Rebévelier lies west of the Pichoux gorge, far from the main routes, and the municipality has two hamlets, Rebévelier and Les Cerniers. A noble family of the place is known in the 13th and 14th centuries. Under the prince-bishops of Basel the territory belonged to the courtine of the abbey of Bellelay, which collected the tithe and held fiefs here. The hamlet first belonged to the parish of Sapran, whose church of Saint-Germain stood below Sornetan. It has remained agricultural.[1][2][4]
History of Rebévelier
Around 1181. First mention, in the form «Robervilier».[1]
1338. On 26 March Bourquin known as Rondans, of Biel, gives up his rights to a plot of land at Rebévelier in favour of Bellelay.[2]
1408. On 5 February Prince-Bishop Humbert de Neuchâtel orders the goods of those who damaged the forests of Fornet, Rebévelier and La Racine to be seized.[2]
1531. Rebévelier rejects the Reformation and remains Catholic.[1]
1573. A deed establishes that the tithe of Rebévelier belongs to Bellelay.[2]
1701. On 18 June Rebévelier and its dependencies are permanently attached to the Catholic parish of Undervelier. Les Cerniers belong to that of Saulcy.[1][2]
1783. On 14 June the abbot of Bellelay ratifies the community's regulations. A schoolmaster is engaged by contract in 1785.[2]
1793. The hamlet enters the French département of Mont-Terrible, in the canton of Glovelier. The département is merged into Haut-Rhin in 1800.[2]
1815. Rebévelier passes to the canton of Bern and comes under the district of Delémont, to which a decree of 6 April 1816 assigns it.[1][2]
1853. The mixed municipality is created.[1]
Late 19th century. The Catholic, French-speaking population becomes mostly Mennonite and German-speaking: the Juillerat family leaves and the Amstutz family arrives.[1]
1975. On 7 September the municipal plebiscite decides by 19 votes to 4 that Rebévelier will remain in Bern. On 23 June 1974 the municipality had rejected the canton of Jura by 15 votes to 8.[2]
1976. Rebévelier leaves the district of Delémont for that of Moutier.[1][2]
1998. The school closes.[2]
2013. On 5 June Rebévelier, which had joined the Petit-Val merger project for a time, withdraws from it.[2][3]
Population of Rebévelier
Sources and references: [1][2][5]
| 1818 | 136 |
| 1850 | 112 |
| 1860 | 69 |
| 1870 | 98 |
| 1900 | 76 |
| 1950 | 52 |
| 2000 | 30 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2020 | 41 |
| 2025 | 29 |
Historic sites in Rebévelier
Hamlet of Rebévelier. The main hamlet, west of the Pichoux gorge.[1]
Les Cerniers. The municipality's second hamlet, attached to the parish of Saulcy after the Reformation. In 1962 subsidies fund drainage works and a farming settlement here.[1][2]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Rebévelier » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 14.01.2026)
- Chronologie jurassienne, « Rebévelier »
- Dictionnaire du Jura (DIJU), « Petit-Val » (Kiki Lutz, 2016)
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Sapran » (Christine Gagnebin-Diacon, version du 03.10.2016)
- Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS), STATPOP, population résidante permanente au 31.12.2025
Other villages near Rebévelier
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