Praden Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Praden / Prada 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
The former municipality of Praden (Romansh: Prada) is in the Churwalden sub-district of the Plessur district and the Graubünden canton. It is located in the Schanfigger valley on the left side slopes. It includes the linear villages of Usserpraden (elevation of 1,250 m (4,100 ft)) and Innerpraden (elevation of 1,100 m (3,600 ft))

Praden (as of 2006) has an area of 6.4 km² (2.5 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 26.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 67.9% - forested
 * 1.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 4.8% - non-productive

History
In 1157, Praden was first mentioned by the name of Pradis. In 1488 as Praden. Praden (Romansh: Prada) is in the Plessur district and the Graubünden canton.

Praden merged into the Tschiertschen-Praden municipality on 1 January 2009. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Tschiertschen

The population history of Praden is: 1803 - 150 inhabitants 1850 - 144 inhabitants 1900 - 131 inhabitants 1950 - 98 inhabitants 1980 - 51 inhabitants 2000 - 101 inhabitants 2008 - 109 inhabitants

Praden belonged to the Saint-Georges Church in Castiel and then belonged to the Saints-Jacques-et-Christophe chapel in Tschiertschen (mentioned in 1405). In 1530, Praden adopted the Reformation.

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

Reformed
Praden became Reformed in 1530; a church was built between 1629-1642. Church records begin in 1820. Records before 1824 can be found in Tschiertschen. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1820-1862
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Praden:
 * 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 Praden 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)