Savognin Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Savognin / Schweiningen 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 Savognin (Romansh: Suagnign / German: Schweiningen / Italian: Savognino) is in the Surses sub-district of the Albula district and the Graubünden canton. It is located in a wide depression called Sotgôt, which forms the lower part of the Surses valley (also known as Oberhalbstein). Until 1960, the municipality included the villages of Son Mitgel, Naloz, Sot Curt, Sur Curt and Sur Tocf.

Savognin (as of 2006) has an area of 22.2 km² (8.6 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 32.7% - agricultural purposes
 * 36.2% - forested
 * 3.0% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 28.2% - non-productive

History
In 1154, Savognin was first mentioned by the name of Sueningin. Until 1890, Savognin was known as Schweiningen. Savognin (Romansh: Suagnign / German: Schweiningen / Italian: Savognino) is in the Albula district and the Graubünden canton.

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

The population history of Savognin is: 1643 - 430 inhabitants 1710 - 530 inhabitants 1802 - 365 inhabitants 1850 - 469 inhabitants 1900 - 444 inhabitants 1950 - 766 inhabitants 1960 - 632 inhabitants 1970 - 820 inhabitants 1980 - 852 inhabitants 1990 - 877 inhabitants 2000 - 477 inhabitants 2004 - 957 inhabitants 2014 - 1,016 inhabitants

In 1370, the church of Saint-Martin was mentioned. In 1487, Savognin separated from the mother church of Riom. In 1643, the parish church of Notre-Dame was consecrated. In 1663, the church of Saint-Michel was renovated. In 1677, the Saint-Martin church was renovated.

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.

Catholic
Savognin became a parish in 1487. Church records begin in 1623. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms 1623-1772; marriages 1640-1837; burials 1623-1837; confirmations 1643-1837
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1833-1875; confirmations 1839-1875; Status animarum 1846-1849

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

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