Disentis/Mustér Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Disentis/Mustér 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 Disentis/Mustér is in the Surselva Region and in the Graubünden canton. Before 2017, the municipality was situated in the Disentis sub-district of the Surselva district (which was, until the end of 2000, the Vorderrhein district). There are seven municipalities that make up the Disentis sub-district with Disentis/Mustér being the largest and is the capital. It includes the center village of Mustér-Vitg and the neighboring villages of Mompé-Tujetsch, Segnes, Acletta, Funs/Clavaniev, Disla, Cavardiras and Mompé-Medel. Except for the two Mompé villages, all the villages contain multiple scattered settlements. The settlement of Brulf near Disentis village was destroyed by a rockslide in 1689. Until 1963 Disentis/Mustér was known as Disentis/Mustèr. Located at the highest step of the Rhine valley, where the roads of the Oberalp pass coming from central and western Switzerland and of the Lukmanier pass coming from the Ticino meet.

Disentis/Mustér (as of 2006) had an area of 91.1 km2 (35.2 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 21.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 22% - forested
 * 1.8% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 54.3% - unproductive land

History
In 765, Disentis/Mustér was first mentioned as Desertina. It was also mentioned in 1127 as monasterium Dissertinensis. The Disentis/Mustér municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of Disentis/Mustér is: 1850 - 1,260 inhabitants 1900 - 1,359 inhabitants 1950 - 2,330 inhabitants 2000 - 2,172 inhabitants 2010 - 2,111 inhabitants 2020 - 2,009 inhabitants

The main church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, recorded as early as 1261, but whose origin remains obscure, was incorporated in 1491 into the abbey, which held the collation. The chapel of Cavardiras was dedicated in 1713, and that of Segnes in 1773. Of the 14 churches and chapels in the community, the St. Agatha Chapel, constructed around 1100 on the old road to Val Medel, is the most important.

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
The parish of Disentis/Mustér is ancient. Church records begin in 1799, with family book entries reaching back to 1758. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:


 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1799-1837; confirmations 1804-1832
 * Baptisms 1838-1913
 * Marriages 1838-1912; burials 1838-1910; confirmations 1844-1910
 * Family book 1 1770-1875
 * Family book 2 1758-1875

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

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for Disentis/Mustér:
 * 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 Disentis/Mustér 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)