San Vittore Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to San Vittore 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 municipality of San Vittore (German: St. Victor) is in the Moesa Region and the Graubünden canton. San Vittore is located in the lower part of the valley of the Moesa river, just over 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream of the border with the canton of Ticino, and 6 km (3.7 mi) upstream of Arbedo-Castione, where the Moesa river combines with the Ticino river. At 278 meters (912 ft) above sea level, it is the lowest-lying community in Graubünden.

San Vittore (as of 2006) has an area of 22 km² (8.5 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 15.5% - agricultural purposes
 * 66.7% - forested
 * 2.8% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 15% - non-productive

History
In 1168, San Vittore was first mentioned by the name of sancto Victore. San Vittore (German: St. Victor) is in the Moesa Region and the Graubünden canton.

The population history of San Vittore is: 1850 - 594 inhabitants 1900 - 517 inhabitants 1950 - 468 inhabitants 1960 - 516 inhabitants 1970 - 666 inhabitants 1980 - 555 inhabitants 1990 - 611 inhabitants 2000 - 657 inhabitants 2020 - 864 inhabitants

The collegiate church of SS. Giovanni e Vittore was the seat of the chapter of the same name founded by Heinrich von Sax from 1219-1885. It was erected in 1491-1498, on a previous building, was raised in 1711-1713, renovated in 1931, and restored in 1983-1990.

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 family history center near you.

Catholic
The parish of San Vittore stems from the Medieval era. Church records begin in 1599. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1599-1820; Status animarum 1667, 1674
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1820-1837
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1875

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

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for San Vittore:
 * 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 San Vittore prior to 1875:

Related sources
The town's website (in Italian) can be found here.

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Graubünden

Societies
Rätische Vereinigung für Familienforschung (RVFF)

Società Genealogica della Svizzera italiana (SGSI)