Jenaz Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Jenaz 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
Jenaz is a village in the Prättigau and a municipality in the political district of Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden. Before 2017, the municipality was situated in the Jenaz sub-district of the Prättigau/Davos district, after 2017 it was part of the Prättigau/Davos Region. It includes the old village of Jenaz on a terrace above the Landquart river, the new linear village on the valley floor, the hamlet of Rüti on the right side of the Landquart and the section of Pragg-Jenaz on the Furnerbach. Jenaz (as of 2006) had an area of 26 km2 (10 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 48.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 38.8% - forested
 * 3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 10.1% - unproductive land

History
In the second half of the 12th Century, Jenaz was first mentioned by the name of Junazis. The Jenaz municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of Jenaz is: 1850 - 806 inhabitants 1888 - 997 inhabitants 1900 - 820 inhabitants 1950 - 1,053 inhabitants 2000 - 1,130 inhabitants 2020 - 1,147 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 12.9% were Roman Catholic
 * 76.3% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 0.88% were Orthodox Church
 * 1.59% were another Christian church
 * 3.81% were Islamic

Mentioned in the 2nd half of the 12th century, St. Peter's Church (from 1511 St. Peter and Paul) was the mother church of St. Antönien and Furna. The parish adopted the Reformation around 1526.

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
The ancient parish of Jenaz became Reformed in 1527. Fideris belonged to Jenaz until 1641, when it became an independent parish. Furna became an independent parish in 1672. The town of Church records begin in 1804. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1804-1836
 * Baptisms 1837-1875
 * Marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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