Untervaz Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Untervaz / Vaz sut 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 Untervaz (Romansh: Vaz sut) is in the Landquart Region and the Graubünden canton. It is located on the eastern foot of the Calanda mountains and is in the Churer Rheintal (Chur branch of the Rhine valley).

Untervaz (as of 2006) has an area of 27.7 km² (10.7 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 40% - agricultural purposes
 * 46.9% - forested
 * 4.8% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 8.2% - non-productive

History
In 768-800, Untervaz was first mentioned by the name of Uaze. In 801-850 it was mentioned as Vazes and between 1210-1300 it was called Vatz inferiore. Before 2017, Untervaz (Romansh: Vaz sut) is in the Fünf Dörfer sub-district of the Landquart district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Untervaz became part of the Landquart Region.

The population history of Untervaz is: 1850 - 1,097 inhabitants 1900 - 940 inhabitants 1910 - 928 inhabitants 1950 - 1,205 inhabitants 2000 - 2,093 inhabitants 2020 - 2,527 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 60.7% were Roman Catholic
 * 30.6% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 1.24% were Orthodox Church
 * 1.05% were from another Christian church
 * 2.77% were Islamic

The Church of St. Lawrence, a former private royal sanctuary, belonged to Pfäfers around 840. The parish was first mentioned in 1440, but is older. The Reformation began to spread in 1611; denominational disturbances occurred in 1612. In 1622, the (partial) re-Catholicization took place. The pastor of Igis took care of the Protestants from 1646, who constructed a church in 1710.

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
The Catholic parish was first mentioned in 1440. Church records begin in 1686. The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1686-1814
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1814-1838
 * Baptisms, marriages 1838-1875
 * Burials, confirmations 1838-1875
 * Family register 1884

Reformed
By 1646, both Untervaz and Igis were led by the same pastor. By 1710, the parish built their own church. Church records begin in 1611. The following volume is only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1611-1875

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

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