Zürcher

Zürcher is the demonym for a resident or native of Zürich, a city and canton in Switzerland. In German, the masculine singular form is Zürcher and the feminine form is Zürcherin; the plural is Zürcher for people in general and Zürcherinnen for women. The term is used for inhabitants of both the city of Zürich and the surrounding canton, with context usually clarifying which area is meant. Some contexts distinguish city residents as Stadtzürcher.

Etymology and usage: The demonym is derived from Zürich, whose name traces back to the ancient settlement Turicum. The form Zürcher follows standard German practice of adding the -er suffix to a place name to indicate origin. In Swiss German and Swiss Standard German, Zürcher is a neutral identifier for people from the Zurich region. For gender-inclusive language, writers and speakers may use Zürcherinnen und Zürcher.

Notes and cultural references: The word also appears in regional terms tied to Zürich, such as Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, a dish associated with the Zurich region, illustrating the linguistic link between the demonym and Zurich’s regional identity. Zürich's prominence in economics, culture, and transportation reinforces the recognizability of the term Zürcher among Swiss and German-speaking audiences.

See also: Zürich; Turicum; Zürichsee.