Langwies Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Langwies / Pralönch 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 Langwies (Romansh: Pralönch) is in the Schanfigg sub-district of the Plessur district and the Graubünden canton. It is located on the route over the Strela pass between Chur and Davos. The Langwies municipality included the village of Langwies and the Platz, Litzirüti, Fondei and Sapün hamlets.

Langwies (prior to 2013) has an area of 54.9 km² (21.2 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 48.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 22.6% - forested
 * 1.2% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 27.5% - non-productive

History
In 1384, Langwies was first mentioned by the name of die lang Wise. Langwies (Romansh: Pralönch) is in the Plessur district and the Graubünden canton.

Langwies merged into the Arosa municipality on 1 January 2013. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Arosa
 * Calfreisen
 * Castiel
 * Lüen
 * Molinis
 * Peist
 * St. Peter-Pagig

The population history of Langwies is: 1623 - 670 inhabitants 1850 - 358 inhabitants 1900 - 285 inhabitants 1950 - 383 inhabitants 1980 - 286 inhabitants 2000 - 303 inhabitants 2010 - 292 inhabitants

In 1385, the Church of Our Lady was built. In 1530, the Reformation was adopted.

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
In 1530, the parish of Langwies became Reformed. Church records begin in 1680. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1680-1813
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1813-1865
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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