Sumvitg Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Sumvitg / Somvix 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 Sumvitg (Romansh: Sumvitg; German: Somvix) is in the Surselva Region and the Graubünden canton. It includes the village of Sumvitg and the hamlets of Surrein, Rabius, Laus, and Compadials as well as numerous farmhouses on both sides of the Vorderrhein and in the Val Sumvitg.

Sumvitg (as of 2006) has an area of 101.8 km² (39.3 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 24.8% - agricultural purposes
 * 26.8% - forested
 * 1.3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 47.1% - non-productive

History
In 1175, Sumvitg was first mentioned by the name of in Summovico. Before 2017, Sumvitg (Romansh: Sumvitg; German: Somvix) was in the Disentis sub-district of the Surselva district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Sumvitg became part of the Surselva Region. Until 1986, Sumvitg was known by its German name as Somvix.

The population history of Sumvitg is: 1850 - 1,353 inhabitants 1900 - 1,205 inhabitants 1950 - 1,674 inhabitants 1960 - 2,004 inhabitants 2000 - 1,313 inhabitants 2020 - 1,104 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 91.3% were Roman Catholic
 * 2.7% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.14% were another Christian church

The original parish of S. Martin was formed in the 7th/8th. The Abbey of Disentis held the collation of the parish church (Saint-Jean-Baptiste, attested in 1175), which it incorporated in 1491. Its jurisdictional claims gave rise to a dispute with the local priest from 1656 to 1686; the quarrel rekindled after the departure of the Capuchins (servants from 1687 to 1748) and lasted until 1767. Surrein seperated from the parish of Sumvitg in 1786 and Rabius in 1901.

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.

Catholic
Sumvitg parish is ancient. Church records begin in 1639. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms 1639-1708; marriages 1647-1837; burials 1656-1762
 * Baptisms, marriages 1709-1780; burials 1762-1838
 * Baptisms 1781-1837
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1875; confirmations 1844-1875

Published extracts of the following church records are only available in the FamilySearch Library:
 * Baptisms 1709-1749
 * Baptisms 1749-1780
 * Baptisms 1781-1837
 * Baptisms 1838-1957
 * Marriages 1838-1957

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

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