Malans Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Malans 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 municipality of Malans is in the Landquart Region and the Graubünden canton. It is located along the old Rhine valley road and the road over the Fadärastein pass into the Prättigau valley.

Malans (as of 2006) has an area of 11.4 km² (4.4 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 39.5% - agricultural purposes
 * 44.4% - forested
 * 6.9% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 9.2% - non-productive

History
In 840, Malans was first mentioned by the name of in villa Mellanze. In 956, it was mentioned as Malanz. Malans is in the Maienfeld sub-district of the Landquart district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Malans became part of the Landquart Region.

The population history of Malans is: 1850 - 912 inhabitants 1880 - 838 inhabitants 1900 - 873 inhabitants 1950 - 1,345 inhabitants 2000 - 1,908 inhabitants 2020 - 2,462 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 27.7% were Roman Catholic
 * 59.6% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.05% were Orthodox Church
 * 0.94% another Christian church
 * 0.84% were Islamic

In 1803, the community became independent. The Church of St. Cassian, first mentioned in the mid-12th century, was owned by the Bishop of Chur from 1209; four buildings had preceded it, from the 6th century. Malans adopted the Reformation in 1525-26 as one of the first communities in Graubünden.

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 1525-1526, Malans became one of the first Reformed parishes in Graubünden. Church records begin in 1721. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1721-1833
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1833-1875

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

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