Vrin Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Vrin 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 former municipality and village of Vrin belonged to the circle of Lugnez/Lumnezia in the district of Surselva in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is located in the Upper Lugnez valley at the entrance to the Diesrut pass (source of the Glenner river) and near the Greina pass. It includes the settlements of Vrin-dado, Vrin-dadens (main village), Cons, Ligiazun, and Sogn Giusep. Additionally, a number of abandoned settlements were part of the municipality, including; Pignola, Puzzatsch, Foppa, Camplun, Vilegn, Schareida, Blengias, and Vanescha.

Vrin (as of 2006) has an area of 71.2 km² (27.5 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 39.3% - agricultural purposes
 * 7.4% - forested
 * 0.5% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 52.9% - non-productive

History
In 1208, Vrin was first mentioned by the name of Varin.

Vrin merged into the Lumnezia municipality on 1 January 2013. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Cumbel
 * Degen
 * Lumbrein
 * Morissen
 * Suraua
 * Vignogn
 * Vella

The population history of Vrin is: 1850 - 466 inhabitants 1900 - 366 inhabitants 1950 - 441 inhabitants 1960 - 393 inhabitants 1970 - 333 inhabitants 1980 - 266 inhabitants 1990 - 251 inhabitants 2000 - 249 inhabitants 2011 - 255 inhabitants

The church mentioned in 1345, was dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin and to Saint John the Baptist and until 1597, a chapel belonging to Saint-Vincent at Pleif (Vella).

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.

Catholic
Vrin separated from Vella and became an independent parish in 1597. Church records begin in 1652. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1652-1775
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1775-1837
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1876

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

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