Furna Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Furna / Fuorn 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
Furna 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 is a scattered settlement high above the valley and includes the village of Furna which is divided into Hinter-, Mittel- and Usserberg, as well as the seasonally occupied settlement of Furnerberg. Furna (as of 2006) had an area of 33.3 km2 (12.9 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 51.5% - agricultural purposes
 * 38.3% - forested
 * 1.3% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 9% - unproductive land

History
In 1479, Furna was first mentioned by the name of Furnen. The Furna municipality is in the Graubünden canton.

The population history of Furna is: 1850 - 216 inhabitants 1900 - 209 inhabitants 1950 - 222 inhabitants 2000 - 204 inhabitants 2020 - 207 inhabitants

The church of St. Jodocus, recorded in 1495, was demolished and relocated in 1720. Until the Reformation (1561) Grüsch was part of the parish of St. Johann in Schiers.

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
Furna belonged to the parish of Jenaz until 1672. Church records begin in 1668. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:


 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1668-1804
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1804-1837
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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