Castasegna Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Castasegna / Castasengen 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 Castasegna (German: Castasengen) is in the Bergell sub-district of the Maloja district and the Graubünden canton. It is located in the lower section of the Bergell Valley above the Mera river. The Castasegna municipality includes the linear village of Castasegna and the Italian village of Villa di Chiavenna.

Castasegna (as of 2006) has an area of 6.8 km² (2.6 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 19.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 40.1% - forested
 * 2.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 38.6% - non-productive

History
In 1374, Castasegna was first mentioned by the name of Castexegnia. Castasegna (German: Castasengen) is in the Maloja district and the Graubünden canton.

Castasegna merged into the Bregaglia municipality on 1 January 2010. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Bondo
 * Soglio
 * Stampa
 * Vicosoprano

The population history of Castasegna is: 1850 - 207 inhabitants 1900 - 239 inhabitants 1910 - 261 inhabitants 1950 - 197 inhabitants 1980 - 174 inhabitants 2000 - 190 inhabitants 2008 - 191 inhabitants

In 1409, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste chapel was first mentioned. Castasegna was part of the Our Lady of Porta parish spiritually. In 1553, the Reformation arrived in Castasegna. In 1664, the Trinity Church was mentioned.

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.

Reformed
After becoming Reformed in 1552, Castasegna received its own pastor in 1553 and built its own church in 1664. Church records begin in 1686. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1686-1836
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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