Mathon Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Mathon / Maton 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 Mathon (Romansh: Maton) is in the Schams sub-district of the Hinterrhein district and the Graubünden canton. It is located in the center of the upper Schamserberg region at an elevation of 1,521 m (4,990 ft). The municipality of Mathon is a haufendorf (an unplanned and closely packed village that is built around a central square).

Mathon (as of 2006) has an area of 15.1 km² (5.8 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 66.3% - agricultural purposes
 * 10.0% - forested
 * 1.4% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 22.3% - non-productive

History
In 840, Mathon was first mentioned by the name of in Mentaune. Mathon (Romansh: Maton) is in the Hinterrhein district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Mathon became part of the Viamala Region.

Mathon merged into the Muntogna da Schons municipality on 1 January 2021. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Casti-Wergenstein
 * Donat
 * Lohn

The population history of Mathon is: 1780 - 123 inhabitants 1850 - 111 inhabitants 1900 - 74 inhabitants 1950 - 65 inhabitants 2000 - 52 inhabitants 2010 - 48 inhabitants 2019 - 53 inhabitants 2020 - 53 inhabitants

In mid-9th century, the Church of Saint Martin of Zillis was mentioned. Spiritually, Mathon came under the parish of Saint-Martin de Zillis until the Reformation In 1728, a new church 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 church records are available on FamilySearch. These records have a restriction for use only at a FamilySearch center near you.

Reformed
Belonging to Lohn until 1654, Mathon did not have a priest until 1685. The parish includes the municipality of Wergenstein. Church records begin in 1731. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1731-1875
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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