Huémoz

Origin of the name Huémoz

Name origin: the hamlet appears as « Uemo » in 1300 (« Nemo » in another source, to be cross-checked), then « Huemo » in 1404, « Oësmoz » in 1467, « Heusmon » in 1684, « Hüemoz » and « Hémoz » in 1811. The etymology is not explained by the sources consulted. The name is pronounced locally « ouèmo ».

Founding of Huémoz

Huémoz is a hamlet in the municipality of Ollon, in the Mi-Monts zone, between the plain and the alpine area of Villars-Chesières, on a small plateau surrounded by fairly steep slopes. The sources consulted say neither when nor by whom it was founded. Until 1874 it formed one of the twelve dizains (districts) of the municipality of Ollon, and one of the six mountain dizains, with Villars, Chesières, Arveyes, Panex and Forchez. In the early 21st century its economy still relied on livestock farming, as the steep terrain limited tourist development.

History of Huémoz

1300. First known mention of the hamlet, as « Uemo ».

1398. The hamlet has 9 hearths.

1440. Pope Felix V authorises the building of a chapel at Huémoz.

1584-1904. A market is held at Huémoz.

1732-1884. A sacred singing society exists, one of the first of its kind (dates to be cross-checked, 1736-1884 in another source).

1824. Huémoz becomes a Protestant parish, until 1845; the same year its inhabitants try unsuccessfully to separate from the municipality of Ollon (to be cross-checked).

1830. Pastor Charles Troillet becomes the first pastor resident in the village.

1843. Construction of the present church, which keeps the original bell (date to be cross-checked, 1841 in another source).

1860. Huémoz again becomes a parish, until 1999; Villars is detached from it in 1947 to form an independent parish.

1861. A post office opens; it closes in 1994.

1874. End of the division of the municipality of Ollon into dizains, which included Huémoz.

1899. Construction of the school, closed in 1974.

Population of Huémoz

Population of Huémoz

1398	9 hearths (households)
1764	189 inhabitants (169 burghers and 20 non-burghers, in 48 households)
1860	250
1930	211
2000	188

Historic sites in Huémoz

Huémoz church. Protestant church built in the mid-19th century in place of the chapel authorised in 1440. It houses three bells, the oldest of which, called « Adam et Ève », dates from 1601.

Legends of Huémoz

Farel driven out of Huémoz. According to popular tradition, the reformer Guillaume Farel was driven out of the village with volleys of stones and saucepans during his first sermon at Huémoz.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Huémoz »
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Ollon »
• Wikipédia, « Huémoz »
• Wikipédia, « Ollon »
• Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »

Other villages near Huémoz

• Chesières (VD)
• Fenalet-sur-Bex (VD)
• Panex (VD)
• Villars-sur-Ollon (VD)
• Ollon (VD)