Bivio Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Bivio / Stalla / Beiva 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 Bivio (Romansh: Beiva / German: Stallen) is in the Surses sub-district of the Albula district and the Graubünden canton. It is located on the roads to Septimer and Julier. The Bivio municipality consists of the village Bivio and the hamlets of Stalveder, Mott, Cavreccia and Valetta da Beiva. It is the only traditionally Italian language village that is located north of the Continental Divide. Today, the German-speaking population is the majority.

Bivio (as of 2006) has an area of 76.7 km² (29.6 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 48.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 2.2% - forested
 * 0.4% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 48.6% - non-productive

History
In 840, Bivio was first mentioned by the name of de stabulo Bivio. Until 1903 by its Italian name of Stalla. At one time, it was known by its German name of Stallen.

Bivio (Romansh: Beiva / German: Stallen) is in the Albula district and the Graubünden canton.

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

The population history of Bivio is: 1808 - 182 inhabitants 1850 - 211 inhabitants 1900 - 141 inhabitants 1920 - 121 inhabitants 1950 - 224 inhabitants 1980 - 238 inhabitants 1990 - 223 inhabitants 2000 - 129 inhabitants 2010 - 204 inhabitants 2014 - 189 inhabitants

Since 1219, Bivio depended on the parish of Tinizong. Since 1459, the Church of St. Gall was attested. In 1534, the Reformation was adopted. In 1675, a Protestant temple was built.

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
Bivio is an ancient parish, and includes the Catholics in the municipality of Marmorera. Church records begin in 1631. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:


 * Baptisms 1631-1688; confirmations 1634-1663; marriages 1631-1829; burials 1631-1691
 * Baptisms, confirmations, burials 1690-1838; marriages 1690-1829
 * Baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials 1838-1883

Reformed
Church records begin in 1629. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1695-1787

The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1787-1850
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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