Igis Parish, Graubünden, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Igis / Aigias 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 of Igis (Romansh: Eigias) is in the district of Landquart in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It is a transportation hub for the Rheintal-Prättigau region. Igis was the third largest municipality (by population) in Graubünden before the merger. It includes the village of Igis and the section of Landquart and (until 2004) Landquart Fabriken.

Igis (as of 2006) has an area of 10.9 km² (4.2 square miles). The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 44.2% - agricultural purposes
 * 30.4% - forested
 * 20.4% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 4.9% - non-productive

History
In 840, Igis was first mentioned by the name of Ovinae/Aviuns. It is also mentioned in 1149 as Auuine, in 1225 as Huiuns, and in 1253 as Yges. Until 2004, it consisted of Igis and the Landquart and Landquart factories fractions.

Igis merged into the new Landquart municipality on 1 January 2012. Other municipalities merged include:
 * Mastrils

The population history of Igis including Landquart-Fabriken and Landquart is: 1850 - 637 inhabitants (including Landquart) 1880 - 989 inhabitants 1900 - 1,201 inhabitants 1950 - 2,794 inhabitants 1970 - 5,283 inhabitants 1980 - 5,153 inhabitants 1990 - 6,779 inhabitants 2000 - 7,398 inhabitants 2002 - 7,330 inhabitants 2003 - 7,415 inhabitants 2004 - 7,425 inhabitants 2005 - 7,432 inhabitants 2006 - 7,340 inhabitants 2007 - 7,509 inhabitants 2008 - 7,561 inhabitants 2020 - 7,738 inhabitants

Per the 2000 census:
 * 37.8% were Roman Catholic
 * 42.1% were Swiss Reformed Church
 * 2.24% were Orthodox Church
 * 2.30% were another Christian church
 * 7.78% were Islamic

The church of St. Thomas, 998-1529 owned by Pfäfers, is most likely a former royal church. A church is mentioned in 1337, and in 1440 it became an independent parish church. In 1532, the Reformation was adopted.

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.

Reformed
Igis is an ancient parish, becoming Reformed in 1532. Church records begin in 1617. The following volumes are available on FamilySearch:


 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1617-1746
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1740-1812
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1801-1887
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1812-1860
 * Baptisms, marriages, burials 1837-1876

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

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