Siat Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Siat / Seth 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 Siat (German: Seth) is in the Rueun sub-district of the Surselva district and the Graubünden canton. It is located above the north side of the Vorderrhein valley. It doesn't reach the plain in the valley nor the river. The municipality of Siat consists of the haufendorf village (unplanned and closely packed village built around a central square) of Siat and the alpine herding camp of Alp da Siat which is located on the upper end of the Val da Siat.

Siat (prior to 2014) has an area of 13.5 km² (5.2 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 51.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 33.6% - forested
 * 1.9% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 13.4% - non-productive

History
In 840, Siat was first mentioned by the name of Septe. Until 1943, Siat was known as Seth. Siat (German: Seth) is in the Surselva district and the Graubünden canton.

Siat merged into the Ilanz/Glion municipality on 1 January 2014. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Castrisch
 * Duvin
 * Ilanz
 * Ladir
 * Luven
 * Pigniu
 * Pitasch
 * Riein
 * Rueun
 * Ruschein
 * Schnaus
 * Sevgein

The population history of Siat is: 1803 - 203 inhabitants 1850 - 239 inhabitants 1900 - 185 inhabitants 1950 - 219 inhabitants 1960 - 241 inhabitants 1990 - 187 inhabitants 2000 - 189 inhabitants 2011 - 171 inhabitants

In 840, the Saint-Florin Church was mentioned. At the Reformation, Siat remained Catholic.

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
Siat became an independent parish in 1644 when it separated from Ruschein. Church records begin in 1647. The following volume is only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms 1647-1763; marriages 1652-1785; burials 1657-1784

The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1763-1839
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1839-1927

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

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