Fanas Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Fanas 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
Fanas is a village in the Prättigau and a former municipality in the political district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2011, Fanas, along with Valzeina was merged with the municipality of Grüsch. Fanas (as of 2006) had an area of 21.8 km2 (8.4 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 45% - agricultural purposes
 * 36.8% - forested
 * 0.7% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 17.5% - unproductive land

History
In the second half of the 12th Century, Fanas was first mentioned by the name of Phanaunes. Fanas is a former municipality in the political district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2011, Fanas, along with Valzeina was merged with the municipality of Grüsch.

The population history of Fanas is: 1850 - 373 inhabitants 1900 - 282 inhabitants 1920 - 250 inhabitants 1950 - 303 inhabitants 1970 - 226 inhabitants 2000 - 377 inhabitants 2010 - 401 inhabitants

The church at the east end of the village is recorded in 1447 as a branch of St. Maria auf Solavers and in 1487, it received its own pastor. The current church was built in 1754-55.

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 family history center near you.

Reformed
The parish of Fanas was established in 1487, and became Reformed by 1570. Church records begin in 1715. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1715-1815
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1815-1875

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

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