Bever Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Bever / Bevers 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 Bever is in the Maloja Region and in the Graubünden canton. Until 2017, the municipality was situated in the Oberengadin sub-district of the Maloja district, after 2017 it was part of the Maloja Region. Bever is located on the Inn River, and the artificial lake Lej da Gravatscha is closeby. It includes the village of Bever and the hamlet of Spinas at the entrance to the Albula Tunnel. Until 1943, Bever was known as Bevers. Bever (as of the 2004/09 survey) had an area of 45.75 km2 (17.66 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 15.3% - agricultural purposes
 * 15.1% - forested
 * 1.2% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 68.4% - unproductive land

History
In 1139, Bever was first mentioned by the name of ad Bevero. Until 1943, Bever was known as Bevers. The Bever municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of Bever is: 1850 - 181 inhabitants 1860 - 144 inhabitants 1870 - 163 inhabitants 1880 - 148 inhabitants 1888 - 151 inhabitants 1900 - 407 inhabitants 1910 - 221 inhabitants 1920 - 223 inhabitants 1930 - 254 inhabitants 1941 - 236 inhabitants 1950 - 227 inhabitants 1960 - 234 inhabitants 1970 - 367 inhabitants 1980 - 432 inhabitants 1990 - 496 inhabitants 2000 - 631 inhabitants 2013 - 633 inhabitants 2020 - 584 inhabitants

From early Middle Ages to 1851 and 1854, Bever divided the political history of the High Court of the Upper Engadin. In 1552, the Reformation was initiated.

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

Reformed
The parish of Bever is ancient; in 1552 it became Reformed. it Church records begin in 1655. Some records for Bever between 1637-1684 may be found in La Punt-Chamues-ch. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1655-1845
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1655-1776

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

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