Tschierv Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Tschierv / Cierfs 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 village and former municipality of Tschierv (German: Cierfs) is in the Val Müstair municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The borders of the village once stretched west over the Ofen Pass to Buffalora, Italy and consisted of part of the Val Nüglia, which since 1918 has been part of the Swiss National Park. It includes the house groups of Aintasom-Tschierv, Chasuras, Plaz, and Orasom-Tschierv.

Tschierv (as of 2006) has an area of 42.6 km² (16.4 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 25.9% - agricultural purposes
 * 26.9% - forested
 * 1% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 46.3% - non-productive

History
In 1432, Tschierv was first mentioned by the name of Zirff. Until 1943, Tschierv was known as Cierfs.

Tschierv merged into the Val Müstair municipality on 1 January 2009. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Fuldera
 * Lü
 * Müstair
 * Santa Maria Val Müstair
 * Valchava

The population history of Tschierv is: 1835 - 155 inhabitants 1850 - 145 inhabitants 1900 - 146 inhabitants 1930 - 126 inhabitants 1941 - 160 inhabitants 1950 - 165 inhabitants 1960 - 139 inhabitants 1970 - 127 inhabitants 1980 - 134 inhabitants 1990 - 147 inhabitants 2000 - 154 inhabitants 2008 - 167 inhabitants

In 1471, after some disputes between the Müstair monastery and the bailiffs of Matsch, the first chapel was dedicated. Originally under Müstair, part of Santa Maria at the end of the 15th century, Tschierv formed a parish from 1654 to 1817, then shared a pastor with Fuldera and Lü. The Reformation was adopted around 1530.

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 parish of Tschierv was independent between 1654-1817, afterwhich it shared its priest with Fuldera and Lü. Church records begin in 1673. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1673-1806
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1754-1817
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1817-1836
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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