Riom Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Riom / Reams Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland, ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, parish census, civil census, family history, area history, and military records.



Geography
In 1979, Riom and Parsonz merged into the municipality of Riom-Parsonz. The former municipality of Riom-Parsonz is in the Surses sub-district of the Albula district and the Graubünden canton. It is located along the road to the Julier pass and on a western terrace of the Oberhalbstein mountains.

Riom-Parsonz (as of 2006) has an area of 56.0 km² (22.0 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 51.0% - agricultural purposes
 * 18.0% - forested
 * 1.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 30.0% - non-productive

History
In 841, Riom was first mentioned by the name of Riamio. In German, it was known as Reams. In 1979, Riom and Parsonz merged into the municipality of Riom-Parsonz. Riom-Parsonz is in the Albula district and the Graubünden canton.

Riom-Parsonz merged into the Surses municipality on 1 January 2016. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Bivio
 * Cunter
 * Marmorera
 * Mulegns
 * Salouf
 * Savognin
 * Sur
 * Tinizong-Rona

The population history of Riom-Parsonz is: 1850 - 417 inhabitants (294 in Riom) 1900 - 334 inhabitants (221 in Riom) 1950 - 350 inhabitants (230 in Riom) 1960 - 276 inhabitants 1970 - 288 inhabitants (207 in Riom) 1980 - 263 inhabitants 1990 - 297 inhabitants 2000 - 329 inhabitants 2014 - 304 inhabitants

In 1461, the Gothic church of Saint-Laurent was built. It was rebuilt in 1677. Between 1641 and 1726, the Riom parish included Parsonz and Cunter.

Church Records
Original church records are held in the local municipal archive or civil registration office. Microfilm copies are available at the Graubünden State Archives.

Digital images of some church records are available on FamilySearch. These records have a restriction for use only at a FamilySearch center near you.

Catholic
Riom was an ancient parish, the first in the valley. Cunter was part of Riom until it became independent in 1725; Parsonz became independent in 1726. Church records begin in 1629. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages 1638-1680; marriages 1642-1681
 * Baptisms 1681-1837; marriages 1682-1832; burials 1681-1836; confirmations 1710-1818
 * Baptisms 1818-1875; marriages, burials 1837-1875; confirmations 1839-1897
 * Status animarum 1677
 * Status animarum 1687-1835

The following volume is available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

Census
(See here for information regarding Graubünden census records.)

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Riom:
 * 1835
 * 1838
 * 1848
 * 1850
 * 1850, form C

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876.

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Graubünden State Archives. The following records are available:
 * Both A and B registers are available through 1916-1917 and are open without restriction.
 * Family registers are available from at latest 1860 through 1910; these records are viewable but require permission to access. For more information, contact the State Archive.

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Riom prior to 1875:

Related sources
The town's website (in Romansh and German) can be found here.

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Graubünden

Societies
Rätische Vereinigung für Familienforschung (RVFF)

Società Genealogica della Svizzera italiana (SGSI)