Laax Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Laax / Lags 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
Laax is a municipality in the Surselva Region in the canton of Graubünden. Before 2017, the municipality was situated in the Ilanz sub-district of the Surselva district, after 2017 it was part of the Surselva Region. All in one valley, the municipality of Laax stretches from the village itself, to Plaun and the Vorab, in the skiing area. It includes the village of Laax and the hamlets of Salums, Cons, Laax Murschetg, and Laax Dorf. The ski-lifts are in Laax Murschetg and a small lake, Laaxersee (Lag Grond), is located in the village. The settlement has views of the Signina group to the south and the Flimserstein to the north. Laax (as of 2006) had an area of 31.7 km2 (12.2 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 35.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 30.6% - forested
 * 3.6% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 29.9% - unproductive land

History
In 1290–98, Laax was first mentioned by the name of Lags. The Laax municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of Laax is: 1850 - 277 inhabitants 1900 - 280 inhabitants 1950 - 328 inhabitants 1970 - 480 inhabitants 2000 - 1,150 inhabitants 2010 - 1,551 inhabitants 2016 - 1,920 inhabitants 2020 - 1,974 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 68.5% were Roman Catholic
 * 20.9% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.04% were Orthodox Church
 * 1.57% were Muslims

Spiritually, Laax was part of the parish of Sagogn until 1525 and as a chapelry from 1309. Three chapels were built around 1500: St. Jakob on the old path to Sagogn, St. Sebastian on the old path to Ilanz, and St. Nikolaus on the country road to Flims.

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 Laax was established in 1525. Church records begin in 1632. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1632-1800
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1722-1846
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1875

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

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