Churwalden Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Churwalden / Curvalda 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 Churwalden (Romansh: Aschera) is in the Plessur Region and the Graubünden canton. The village is located in the valley between the cantonal capital Chur and the resort Lenzerheide. The municipality includes the linear village of Churwalden and the hamlets of Passugg, Araschgen and scattered farmhouses.

Churwalden (as of 2004/09) has an area of 48.53 km² (18.74 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 43.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 39.6% - forested
 * 3.7% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 12.9% - non-productive

History
In 1149, Churwalden was first mentioned by the name of silva Augeria. It was mentioned in 1191 as de Curwalde. Before 2017, Churwalden (Romansh: Aschera) was in the Churwalden sub-district of the Plessur district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Churwalden became part of the Plessur Region.

Churwalden merged into the Churwalden municipality on 1 January 2010. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Malix
 * Parpan

The population history of Churwalden is: 1623 - 575 inhabitants 1850 - 695 inhabitants 1860 - 632 inhabitants 1870 - 769 inhabitants 1880 - 807 inhabitants 1888 - 680 inhabitants 1900 - 620 inhabitants 1910 - 703 inhabitants 1920 - 696 inhabitants 1930 - 719 inhabitants 1941 - 758 inhabitants 1950 - 815 inhabitants 1960 - 877 inhabitants 1970 - 1,052 inhabitants 1980 - 1,138 inhabitants 1990 - 1,247 inhabitants 2000 - 1,236 inhabitants 2010 - 2,117 inhabitants 2015 - 2,030 inhabitants 2020 - 1,936 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 39.1% were Roman Catholic
 * 38.5% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.62% were Orthodox Church
 * 9.39% were Muslim

In addition to the Marienkirche, attested in 1149, the churches of St. Maria and Nikolaus were constructed for a women's monastery (13th/14th century) and St. Michael (13th century) for a men's monastery. St. Michael also served as a parish church. From 1599, an administrator managed the property of the orphaned monastery, whose church was the location of the Protestant parish from 1616-1967.

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.

Catholic
The Catholic parish is ancient. Church records begin in 1640, though the marriages and burials only begin in 1838. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:


 * Baptisms 1640-1837 (marriages and burials unavailable)
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1876

Reformed
After the Reformation in Churwalden, the monastery of St. Michael served as the parish church as early as 1616. Records begin in 1700. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:


 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1700-1836
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1756-1819
 * Baptism, marriages burials 1837-1875

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

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