Valzeina Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Valzeina 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
Valzeina 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, Valzeina, along with Fanas was merged with the municipality of Grüsch. Valzeina (as of 2006) had an area of 11.4 km2 (4.4 sq mi). The land use was divided up as follows:
 * 40.3% - agricultural purposes
 * 53.2% - forested
 * 2.5% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 3.9% - unproductive land

History
In 1367, Valzeina was first mentioned by the name of Valtzennas. Valzeina is a former municipality in the political district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2011, Valzeina, along with Fanas was merged with the municipality of Grüsch.

In 1891, Vorder- and Hinter-Valzeina merged to establish the municipality of Valzeina, which belonged to the Seewis district in the Prättigau/Davos district.

The population history of Valzeina is: 1850 - 243 inhabitants 1900 - 216 inhabitants 1950 - 216 inhabitants 1980 - 115 inhabitants 2000 - 140 inhabitants 2010 - 139 inhabitants

A church dedicated to St. Sisinnius likely dates from the 1st millennium. The church of St. Michael is first recorded in 1512, around 1520 as a branch of Zizers, and in 1523 as a parish.

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
Valzeina was established as a parish in 1523; it became Reformed between 1560-1570. Church records begin in 1679. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1679-1876
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1875

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

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