Rhäzüns Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Rhäzüns / Razén 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 Rhäzüns is in the Imboden Region and the Graubünden canton. Rhäzüns lies on the Hinterrhein river, shortly before its junction with the Vorderrhein. It includes the linear village of Rhäzüns in the valley between Bonaduz and the narrow entrance to the Domleschg valley. Rhäzüns (as of 2006) has an area of 13.3 km² (5.1 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 23.3% - agricultural purposes
 * 69.1% - forested
 * 4.2% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 3.4% - non-productive

History
In 840, Rhäzüns was first mentioned by the name of Raezunne. Rhäzüns is in Rhäzüns sub-district, of the Imboden district and the Graubünden canton. After 2017, Rhäzüns became part of the Imboden Region.

The population history of Rhäzüns is: 1850 - 508 inhabitants 1900 - 495 inhabitants 1950 - 774 inhabitants 1960 - 776 inhabitants 1970 - 903 inhabitants 1980 - 958 inhabitants 1990 - 1,018 inhabitants 2000 - 1,201 inhabitants 2020 - 1,611 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 61.7% were Roman Catholic
 * 23.3% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 0.92% were another Christian Church
 * 5.25% were Islamic

Rhäzüns remained at the time of the Reformation with the catholic belief. The Church of S. Gieri/St. George may have been the old parish church of Rhäzüns and Bonaduz. The baroque church of St. Mary's Nativity, consecrated in 1701, replaced St. Paul's as the parish church in 1777.

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 some church records are available on FamilySearch. These records have a restriction for use only at a family history center near you.

Catholic
Archaeological digs have dated the earliest parish church to the 6th/7th century. Church records begin in 1650. The following volume is available on FamilySearch:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1838-1875

The following volumes are only available on microfilm at the Graubünden State Archives:
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1650-1690
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1672-1755
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1755-1837
 * Status animarum 1776, 1846

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

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