La Punt-Chamues-ch Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to La Punt-Chamues-ch / Ponte-Campovasto 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
La Punt-Chamues-ch is a municipality in the Maloja Region in the canton of Graubünden. Until 1943, La Punt Chamues-ch was known as by its Italian name of Ponte-Campovasto. Before 2017, the municipality was situated in the Oberengadin sub-district of the Maloja district, after 2017 it was part of the Maloja Region. The municipality includes two once separate towns, nowadays almost grown together; La Punt lies on the northern side of the valley and Chamues-ch (pronounced Tshamois-tsh), which lies on the southern side of the valley. La Punt-Chamues-ch (as of 2006) had an area of 63.2 km2 (24.4 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 33.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 15.4% - forested
 * 1.1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 50.4% - unproductive land

History
In 1137-39, La Punt-Chamues-ch was first mentioned by the name of Campolovasto. It was also mentioned in 1244 as Ponte. The La Punt-Chamues-ch municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of La Punt-Chamues-ch is: 1850 - 232 inhabitants 1870 - 289 inhabitants 1900 - 245 inhabitants 1950 - 223 inhabitants 1990 - 569 inhabitants 2000 - 660 inhabitants 2020 - 686 inhabitants

The church of S. Andrea in Chamues-ch is mentioned for the first time in 1370 and was renovated in 1981. In 1561, the Reformation was adopted. In 1680 a baroque branch church was built in La Punt, which was refurbished in 1974-75. In 1566, 1772, and 1843 La Punt was partially damaged by floods and in 1803 by a fire.

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 church records are available on FamilySearch. These records have a restriction for use only at a FamilySearch center near you.

Reformed
La Punt-Chamues-ch became a Reformed parish in 1561. Bever and Madulain were part of La Put-Chamues-ch until 1684. Church records begin in 1611. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1611-1843
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1611-1875
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1637-1693
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

The following censuses are available from FamilySearch for La Punt-Chamues-ch:
 * 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 La Punt-Chamues-ch 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)