Saint-Oyens
Origin of the name Saint-Oyens
First written mention in 1139 as «Sancto Eugendo». The name comes from an oratory founded by the abbey of Saint-Claude and refers to Saint Oyend (Eugendus in Medieval Latin). The inhabitants are nicknamed the Covas or Covaillons; in Vaud patois the «cova» is the holder for the whetstone used to sharpen scythes (to be cross-checked).
Founding of Saint-Oyens
The village owes its name, and probably its origin, to an oratory founded by the abbey of Saint-Claude (Saint-Oyend, in the Jura). None of the sources consulted gives the date of this foundation. In 1139 the local church of Saint-Maurice belonged to the abbey of Romainmôtier. A noble family bearing the village's name is mentioned from 1172 as vassals of the lordship of Mont-le-Vieux, and the village community held common property from 1389.
History of Saint-Oyens
1139. First mention as «Sancto Eugendo»; the church of Saint-Maurice belongs to the abbey of Romainmôtier.
1172. A noble family of Saint-Oyens is mentioned as vassals of the lordship of Mont-le-Vieux.
1389. The community holds common property.
1401. A confraternity of the Holy Spirit is recorded.
Middle Ages. The church of Saint-Maurice becomes a chapel of ease of the church of Gimel.
1536-1798. Under Bernese rule Saint-Oyens belongs to the bailiwick of Morges; the church is left to decay.
1764. The village has 158 inhabitants.
1798. Saint-Oyens is assigned to the district of Aubonne.
1857. A fire strikes the village.
1877-1878. The church is rebuilt.
2000. The municipality has 237 inhabitants; three quarters of the working population commute.
2005. A farming municipality (crops and livestock), with the primary sector providing 34% of jobs; residential development is growing.
2006-2008. The law on territorial organisation, in force from 1 September 2006, abolishes the district of Aubonne; the municipality becomes part of the district of Morges, effective 1 January 2008.
2025. On 25 November the Vaud Grand Council approves the merger of Saint-Oyens with Gimel and Saubraz.
2027. The merger is due to take effect on 1 January: the new municipality is named Gimel.
Population of Saint-Oyens
| 1764 | 158 |
| 1850 | 239 |
| 1900 | 141 |
| 1950 | 140 |
| 1970 | 114 |
| 2000 | 237 |
| 2025 | 449 |
Historic sites in Saint-Oyens
Church (temple) of Saint-Oyens. Former church of Saint-Maurice, attached in 1139 to the abbey of Romainmôtier and later a chapel of ease of Gimel. Left to decay in the Bernese period, it was completely rebuilt in 1877-1878.
Old farmhouses. Several farmhouses in the municipality date from the 18th and 19th centuries (to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Saint-Oyens »
- Wikipédia, « Saint-Oyens »
- Wikipedia (EN), « Saint-Oyens »
- Blick, « Vaud : le canton passe sous la barre des 300 communes »
- Statistique Vaud, « Population résidante permanente au 31 décembre 2025 »
- Wikipédia, « Districts du canton de Vaud »
Other villages near Saint-Oyens
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