Graubünden (Grisons) Canton, Switzerland Genealogy

Guide to Graubünden canton ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

Getting Started
If you are new to Swiss research, you should watch this introductory course. Then study the articles on church records and civil registration, as almost all of your research will be in those two record groups.
 * Introduction to Swiss Research
 * Switzerland Civil Registration
 * Switzerland Church Records

History
Graubünden is a German speaking canton. The Romansch language is also used by a small part of the population and some church records of this canton will also be in the Romansch language. There are many dialects used in this canton. Graubünden joined the Swiss confederation in 1803. Graubünden (Wikipedia)

Census Records Online
These records have a restriction for use only at a Family History Center near you.
 * Census records for Kt. Graubünden, Switzerland, 1835-1850

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in Graubünden Canton in 1876. To understand the records available, read the Wiki article, Switzerland Civil Registration.
 * Addresses for Civil Registration (ZivilStandesamt) Offices (.pdf)
 * You will be able to write your request in German with the help of the German Letter Writing Guide.

Online Church Records
For information on the coverage, content, and locating of church records, read Switzerland Church Records. Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast collections can be view free of charge at a Family History Center near you.
 * . FamilySearch Historical Records. Images, no indexes. Incomplete.
 * . FamilySearch Historical Records. Images, no index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland, Church Book Extracts, 1550-1875. Ancestry.com. images, incomplete.
 * . FamilySearch Historical Records. Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland, Baptisms, 1491-1940. MyHeritage.com, ($). Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland, Baptisms, 1491-1940. Ancestry.com, ($). Index. Incomplete.
 * . FamilySearch Historical Records. Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland, Marriages, 1532-1910. My Heritage.com, ($). Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland, Marriages, 1532-1910. Ancestry.com, ($). Incomplete. Index.
 * . FamilySearch Historical Records Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland Burials, 1613-1875. MyHeritage. ($). Index. Incomplete.
 * Switzerland Burials, 1613-1875. Ancestry.com. Incomplete. Index. ($).

FamilySearch Microfilmed/Digitized Records
Several parish records have been microfilmed and are currently being digitized. Eventually, all of them will be digitized, so check back frequently. These records may have a restriction for use only at a Family History Center near you.

Instructions:
 * 1) Click on Switzerland, Graubünden FamilySearch Catalog.
 * 2) Open the list "Places within Switzerland, Graubünden". Select your town.
 * 3) A list of record categories will open up. Click on "Church records".
 * 4) A list of available records will appear. Click on the record title you are interested in searching.
 * 5) Scroll down to the list of microfilm numbers. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the microfilm listed for the record. FHL icons.png. The magnifying glass indicates that the microfilm is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the microfilm.

Writing for Church Records
A list of church books available at the Graubünden Archives is available here.


 * You will be able to write your request in German with the help of the German Letter Writing Guide.

Reading the Records

 * German Genealogical Word List
 * [[Media:Swiss_Genealogical_Word_List_approved.pdf|Swiss Dialect Genealogical Word List]]
 * Reading German Handwritten Records
 * Lesson 1: Kurrent Letters
 * Lesson 2: Making Words in Kurrent
 * Lesson 3: Reading Kurrent Documents
 * Old German Script
 * Part 1
 * Part 2
 * Part 3 (German Church and Civil Records)

Search Strategy
This search strategy will help you determine what to write for. Limit tour requests to just one of these steps at a time. Once you have established that the parish is cooperative and perhaps more willing to do more extensive research (for a fee), you might be able to ask them for more at a time.
 * Search for the relative or ancestor you selected.
 * When you find his birth record, search for the births of his brothers and sisters.
 * Next, search for the marriage of his parents. The marriage record will have information that will often help you find the birth records of the parents.
 * You can estimate the ages of the parents and determine a birth year to search for their birth records.
 * Search the death registers for all known family members.
 * Repeat this process for both the father and the mother, starting with their birth records, then their siblings' births, then their parents' marriages, and so on.
 * If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.

Parishes in Graubünden
Almens-Rotenbrunnen - founded 1645, maybe from Thusis Andeer-Clugin - Clugin taken in 1894 from Donat-Patzen-Fardün-Casti and merged with Andeer Ardez - 1538 became Reformed Arosa, originally with Peist, 1649 had own priest Avers: ancient, 1519 Bergün: Bergün becomes Reformed 1562. Bevers (Bever) - ancient, 1552 becomes Reformed Bivio (Stalla, Beiva) - old, 1584 becomes Reformed. No priest 1605-1642, 1605-1638 by Oberengadin, 1638-1642 by Chur Bondo - old, first priest before 1555 Brusio - old, first priest 1555 Canicül (Inner-Ferrera) - independent in 1837 from Ferrera. Part of Avers in 1867. Casaccia - old, becomes Reformed in 1551 Castasegna - old, first priest 1555 Castiel-Calfreisen-Lüen - first priest 1571 Celerina (Schlarigna) - becomes Reformed 1577 Chur - St. Martin - old, first priest 1523, communal 1858 Chur - St. Regula - old, first priest 1530, communal 1858, independent 1874 Chur - Freiprediger - first priest 1617, communal 1858 Chur - French parish - first priest 1687 Chur-Araschga - 1896 established from Churwealden, Chur, and Malix Churwalden - first priest 1616 Cierfs (Cierf) - first priest 1654 Davos-Dorf-Laret - independent parish in 1680 Davos-Frauenkirch - provided by Davos-Platz through end of 1600s; first priest 1680 Davos-Glaris - cared by Davos-Platz until middle-1600s. First priest 1654. Davos-Monstein - filial parish of Davos-Glaris until 1719. Davos-Platz - very old, first priest for Reformed 1526 Davos-Platz - Lutheran, founded end of 1860s, first priest 1874. Davis-Platz - St. Paulus, founded 1891 Donat-Patzen-Fardün-Casti - until 1647 belonged to Zillis, but had a priest since 1626. Duvin - old, first priest 1589. Merged in 1892 with Pitasch and Riein. Fanas - old, first priest 1574. Feldis (Veulden) - was overseen by Tamins and Domleschg until 1638 when first priest. Felsberg - belonged to Chur early, also to Tamins 1570-1622, first priest 1662. Ferrera (Ausser-Ferrera) - filial of Andeer until 1700. Canicül broke off in 1837. Part of Andeer after 1867. Fetan (Ftan) - old, Reformed in 1543. Fideris - belonged to Jenaz until 1641. Filisur - became Reformed 1590. Fläsch - old, Reformed in 1524. Flerden - 1653 with Urmein becomes a parish from Portein-Sarn. Full split in 1658. Flims (Flem) - old, first Reformed priest 1564 Flond - belonged to Ilanz until 1726. First priest 1729. Fuldera - belonged to St. Maria until 1714. Furna - belonged to Jenaz until 1672. Grüsch - old, first priest 1557 Guarda - old, first priest 1529. Merged with Lavin in 1892. Haldenstein - became Reformed in 1616. Hinterrhein - old, first priest 1551. Filial of Nufenen becomes independent in 1696. Merged with Nufenen in 1874. Igis - old, first priest 1523. Ilanz-Strada (Glion-Strada) - 1526 becomes Reformed, Strada merged with it in 1537. Jenaz - Fideris and Furna belonged to the parish. First priest 1527. Jenins - old, first priest 1572. Merged with Malans in 1882. Kästris (Castrisch) - Reformed in 1537, first priest in 1570. Klosters - Reformation in 1527. Küblis - reformed 1525, first priest 1558 Langwies - old, first priest 1530. Latsch first priest 1615, united with Bergün in 1913. Lavin - old, first priest 1529 Lohn - first priest 1596; Mathon-Wergenstein belonged to Lohn until 1685. 1887 merged with Mathon, Donath, and Zillis. Lü-Lüsai - with Fuldera, own parish 1801-1842, belonged again to Fuldera afterward. Luvis (Luven) - belonged to Ilanz until 1650, but had own priest since 1599. Independent in 1651. Luzein - first priest 1570. Madulein - Reformation and first priest 1554. 1871-1919 belonged to Ponte, 1919 onward to Zuoz. Maienfeld - old; Reformation 1525, first priest 1524. Maladers - last Schafnigger Catholic parish, Reformed in 1599. Belonged to Chur; first priest in 1639. In 1912 became part of Castiel. Malans - old, first priest 1526. Malix - first priest 1591-1598, but had a combined parish "for a long time" with Churwalden and Parpan. Masein - belonged to Thusis until 1731. Returned to Thusis in 1873. Mastrils - Reformation in 1610. Catholics built their own church in 1686. First priest 1614. Mathon-Wergenstein. Belonged to Lohn until 1654, but confirmed by the Synod in 1685. First priest 1685. Merged with Zillis in 1886. Medels im Rheinwald - 1726 part of Splügen. Merged with Splügen and Sufers in 1888. Mutten - first priest 1591, but "mostly overseen from others"? Since 1911 belonged to Sils i.D. Nufenen - 1641 church built. Until 1696 belonged to Hinterrhein. Parpan - Until 1606 a filial of Malix, got own priest in 1606. Merged to Churwalden in 1880. Peist - "for a long time belonged to St. Peter, Langwies, or Castiel, or merged with Arosa". Merged with St. Peter in 1907. Pigneu (Pignia) - had its own church in 1782, belonged to Andeer before that. Merged to Andeer in 1840. Pitasch - was merged with Duvin; 1639 had own priest. Ponte-Camogasc (La Punt-Chamuesch) - old, Refmoration 1554 Pontresina (Puntraschigna) - old, Reformation 1555. Poschiavo - old, Reformation 1549 Präz - old, first priest 1526. Remüs-Manas (Ramuosch-Mna) - first priest 1568. Manas - Filial, cared by Remüs until 1667, when it could have its own priest, stayed this way until 1761 when it was cared by Remüs again. Riein - first priest 1589. Since 1872 merged with Pitasch. Saas - first priest with the town of Conters 1549. Safien-Neukirch - first church built 1698. Probably from Safien-Platz. Merged with Platz in 1880. Safien-Platz - Reformed 1523, second priest in 1579. Safien-Talkirch - part of Safien-Platz until 1738. Merged with Safien-Platz in 1852. Sagens (Sagogn) - first priest 1713. Samaden (Samedan) - old, Reformed in 1551. Samnaun (Samagnun) - old, priests since before 1571. The parish seems to end in 1835; where it is assigned after that? St. Antönien - first priest 1516 Sta. Maria im Münstertal - first priest 1528. St. Moritz (San Murezzan) - Reformed in 1577, overseen by Celerina 1577-1583, independent 1583. St. Peter-Papig-Molinis - Reformed 1530. Sarn-Portein-Tartar - first priest in 1557. Tartar - parish from 1603-1661? unsure what happened to this. Scanfs-(S-chanf)-Cinuskel-Sulsanna - first priest 1569. Cinuskel - Filial of Scanfs, permission for a teacher and priest in 1658; 1834 returned completely to Scanfs. Sulsanna (Susauna) - priests in 1723 (still was part of Scanfs before that?; 1834 returned completely to Scanfs. Scarans-Fürstenau - first priest 1521. Scheid - Reformed 1583. Merged with Feldis in 1845. Schiers - Reformed 1563. Schleins-Strada-Martinsbruck (Tschlin-Strada-Punt Martina) - first priest before 1545. Church built in Martinsbruck approximately 1700. Strada creates a Gemeinde in 1838. Schnaus - belonged to Ilanz until 1692. Merged to Waltensburg in 1865. Schuders - first priest 1573. Schuls-Scarl (Scuol-S-charl) - first priest 1524 Scarl (S-charl) - Filial of Schuls, got the right for a priest in 1658. Returned to Schuls in 1754. Seewis i. Pr.-Schmitten - Reformed parish established in 1590. Schmitten - small church built in 1696, belonged to Seewis. Sent - frist priest 1545 Serneus - Filial of Klosters until 1723, even though it had its own priest since 1579. Sils im Domleschg - first priest 1521. Sils im Engadin (Segl) - first priest 1555. Merged to Silvaplana in 1885. Silvaplana-Campfèr (Salaplauna-Champfer) - first priest 1560. Soglio - first priest 1552. Reformed in 1553. Splügen - first priest before 1552. Stampa-Borgonovo-Maloja - first priest 1549. Stuls (Stogl) -with Latsch until 1689, independent until 1924, merged with Bergün. Sufers - belonged to Splügen until 1729. Merged along with Medels to Splügen. Süs (Susch) - first priest 1550. Tamins - first priest 1546. Tenna - first priest 1573, merged with Versam in 1915. Thusis-Rongellen - first priest 1525. Church and rectory burned in 1727. Trans - separated from Almens in 1725. First priest 1723. Between 1878-1930 merged to Feldis-Scheid, 1930 merged to Almens. Trimmis-Says - First Reformed preaching in 1613, 1614 new parish. Trins (Trin) - first priest 1535. Tschappina - first priest 1578. Merged along with Urmein to Flerden. Tschiertschen-Praden - first priest 1572. Untervaz - Reformed parish in 1611 overseen by Chur. Most of the parish was united with Zizers until 1670. First priest 1620. Urmein - Until 1653, Urmein a Filial of Portein. Separated from Flerden in 1722. Merged to Flerden in 1877. Valcava (Valchava) - First priest in 1688. From 1807 onward is the parish part of Fuldera or St. Maria. (1807-1813 - St. Maria, 1813-1818 - Fuldera, 1818-1865 - St. Maria, 1865-1870 - maybe part of Schiers. Since 1870 part of St. Maria. Valendas - The Filial Versam belonged to Valendas until 1673. First priest in Valendas 1523. Valzeina - Belonged to Igis, Zizers, Seewis, Fanas, and Grüsch until 1649. First priest 1649. Versam - Belonged to Valendas until 1673, though had a church since 1634. Vicosoprano - first priest in 1526. Waltensburg - first priest in 1526. Wiesen - belonged to Davos or Filisur until the beginning of the 1600s. 1608 first priest. Zernez-Brail - first priest 1537; Catholic mass held until 1553. Brail - allowed a cemetery in 1640 but not established as of 1661. 1658 allowed to have a priest but still part of Zernez. Zizers - 1572, Reformed allowed to use the church; 1614 a church built. Until 1840, Mastrils is a Filial. Zuoz - First priest in 1554.