H1457
The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.Otylia Nussberger
Born in 1537 and died at Elgg in 1602.
born before 1537 died before 17 Jul 1602 at Elgg, Zürich
Life story
Otylia Nussberger married Blasius (Bläsy) Hegnauer at Elgg, in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, on 27 January 1555.1 Three of their children were baptised at Elgg: Blasy on 24 October 1557, Genovefa on 6 April 1561 and a second Bläsy on 3 November 1566.2–4
Elgg was then a small town with a court lordship of its own. The town had repeatedly had to defend its rights against the holders of the lower court in the castle, until its court rules were set down in writing in 1532 and 1535, and Elgg was given a town government with a Great and a Small Council.5
Her daughter Genovefa very probably became the wife of Adam Peter of Elgg, and their first son, baptised in 1585, was named Blasius, as Otylia's husband was.6 Otylia was buried at Elgg on 17 July 1602, forty-seven years after her wedding, and the burial register names her as Blasius's wife.7
What we know
Proven
- Birth, 1537
- Marriage to Blasius Hegnauer at Elgg, 1555
- Death at Elgg, 1602
- Burial at Elgg, 1602
- one home, from the census and other records
What's still open
- Parents. Not yet identified.
Sources
Source 1
1 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1555
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Blasius Hegnouwer [Hegnauer] and Otylia Nussberger, 27 January 1555, Elgg, Zürich. FamilySearch record 66VW-HXQZ
In the archive: O04565
Sources 2–4
2 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1557
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Blasy Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 24 October 1557, Elgg, Zürich; parents Bläsy Hegnouwer and Otilia Neussberger [Nussberger]. FamilySearch record 66VS-1X18; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-1X1X
3 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1561
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of "Benefe" [Genefe, i.e. Genovefa] Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 6 April 1561, Elgg, Zürich; parents Plässy [Bläsy] Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger. FamilySearch record 66VS-VWCV; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-VWCP
4 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1566
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Bläsy Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 3 November 1566, Elgg, Zürich; parents Bläsy Hegnouwer and Otilia Nussberger. FamilySearch record 66V3-92WP; father's entry FamilySearch record 66V3-92WR
Source 5
5 Elgg, 2002
Ueli Müller, "Elgg," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2002 (print-edition article, updated 5 October 2020), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000144/2020-10-05 (accessed 27 September 2026).
Source 6
6 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1585
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Blasius Peter, 9 March 1585, Elgg, Zürich; parents Adam Peter and "Genevo Hegner" [Genovefa Hegnauer]. FamilySearch record 66VS-BDZB
In the archive: O04421
Source 7
7 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1602
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Othilia Nussberger, wife of Blesy Hegnauwer [Blasius Hegnauer], 17 July 1602 (the index gives the date as the date of death), Elgg, Zürich (DGS 8014314, image 213): her entry FamilySearch record 66V7-WMJH; husband's entry FamilySearch record 66V7-WMJC
In the archive: O04287
More sources are in the evidence below.
Life in time
before 1537
Birth
How we know
Estimated from her marriage in 1555. Her baptism and birthplace are unknown.
No record of her birth or age has been found. A woman who married in 1555 was very probably born before about 1537.
between 27 Jan 1555 and 3 Nov 1566
Residence , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
Her marriage and the baptisms of her three children in the Elgg church book (FamilySearch index), 1555–1566.
27 Jan 1555
Marriage, with Blasius Hegnauer , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
The Elgg marriage register (FamilySearch index) records Blasius Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger on 27 Jan 1555. The couple are named as the parents at the Elgg baptisms of 1557, 1561 and 1566.
before 17 Jul 1602
Death , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
She died on or shortly before the day of her burial; the index gives 17 Jul 1602 as the date of death in a burial entry.
Buried at Elgg on 17 Jul 1602 as Othilia Nussberger, wife of Blesy Hegnauwer (FamilySearch index; record page read 27 Sep 2026, record type Burial). The names of both wife and husband match the couple married at Elgg in 1555, and no later record of their son Bläsy (b. 1566) has been found. The image has not been viewed.
17 Jul 1602
Burial , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
Elgg burial register (FamilySearch index), Othilia Nussberger, "Blesy Hegnauwer's wife", 17 Jul 1602 (indexed as the date of death); DGS 8014314, image 213, in the first volume, whose burials begin in 1591. The image has not been viewed.
-
1537 Birth
Estimated from her marriage in 1555. Her baptism and birthplace are unknown.
No record of her birth or age has been found. A woman who married in 1555 was very probably born before about 1537.
Source 1
-
1555 Marriage, with Blasius Hegnauer
The Elgg marriage register (FamilySearch index) records Blasius Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger on 27 Jan 1555. The couple are named as the parents at the Elgg baptisms of 1557, 1561 and 1566.
Source 1
-
1557 Son born: Blasy Hegnauer
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1561 Daughter born: Genovefa Hegnauer
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1566 Son born: Bläsy Hegnauer
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1602 Death
She died on or shortly before the day of her burial; the index gives 17 Jul 1602 as the date of death in a burial entry.
Buried at Elgg on 17 Jul 1602 as Othilia Nussberger, wife of Blesy Hegnauwer (FamilySearch index; record page read 27 Sep 2026, record type Burial). The names of both wife and husband match the couple married at Elgg in 1555, and no later record of their son Bläsy (b. 1566) has been found. The image has not been viewed.
Source 7
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1602 Burial
Elgg burial register (FamilySearch index), Othilia Nussberger, "Blesy Hegnauwer's wife", 17 Jul 1602 (indexed as the date of death); DGS 8014314, image 213, in the first volume, whose burials begin in 1591. The image has not been viewed.
Source 7
- proven
- family event
Hover or drag along the line, or select a point and use the arrow keys.
Places in this life
one place- 1 Elgg, Zürich Residence between 27 Jan 1555 and 3 Nov 1566 · Marriage 27 Jan 1555 · Death before 17 Jul 1602 · 1 more
Family
Records
Search the archive →Also cited as evidence: 9 records filed under relatives
- 27 Jan 1555 confirmed Marriage “Blasius Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasius Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 24 Oct 1557 confirmed Baptism “Blasy Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasy Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 6 Apr 1561 confirmed Baptism “Benefe Hegnouwer”, filed under Genovefa Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 3 Nov 1566 confirmed Baptism “Bläsy Hegnouwer”, filed under Bläsy Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 9 Mar 1585 probable Baptism “Blasius Peter”, filed under Genovefa Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 17 Jul 1602 probable Burial “Blesy Hegnauwer”, filed under Blasius Hegnauer FamilySearch
- date unknown confirmed Church record “Bläsy Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasius Hegnauer FamilySearch
- date unknown confirmed Church record “Bläsy Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasius Hegnauer FamilySearch
- date unknown confirmed Church record “Plässy Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasius Hegnauer FamilySearch
The evidence 5 facts with their grades, 7 sources, and the research notes
Facts
| Fact | Date | Place | Grade | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | before 1537 | proven | 1 | |
| Residence | between 27 Jan 1555 and 3 Nov 1566 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 |
| Marriage with Blasius Hegnauer | 27 Jan 1555 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 1 |
| Death | before 17 Jul 1602 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 7 |
| Burial | 17 Jul 1602 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 7 |
Research notes
- Sources: FamilySearch's index of the Elgg church book: the marriage (1555), three baptisms and her burial (1602). The images (DGS 8014314) have not been seen.
- Name: indexed Otylia Nussberger (1555, 1561), Otilia Neussberger (1557), Otilia Nussberger (1566) and Othilia Nussberger (her burial, 1602).
- Her burial (1602): an index entry names "Blesy Hegnauwer" as the spouse of Othilia Nussberger, with no event of his own; the study's first extract showed no date, and it was taken for a second index of the 1555 marriage. The record page, read on 27 Sep 2026, shows that it is her burial: the record type is Burial, she is "Blesy Hegnauwer's wife", and the date, 17 Jul 1602, is hers (the index gives it as the date of death).7 The entry is image 213 of the first Elgg volume (DGS 8014314), whose burials begin in 1591, and the spelling Hegnauwer, usual at Elgg from the 1590s, fits the date. In this collection every "spouse" entry without an event of its own has proved to be the husband or wife named in a burial (all 55 such entries checked in the study's review of 27 Sep 2026). The names of both wife and husband match the couple married in 1555 (see also Blasius's profile).
- Her age: if she was born before about 1537, as her marriage suggests, she was at least about 65 when she died.
- Genovefa (probable): see her profile.
- Not yet searched: the Elgg index under the surname Nussberger.
- This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.
Working notes
- Family line: Elgg ZH; Otilia Neussberger/Nussberger, wife of Blasius; index only (FamilySearch), images not seen
Sources
- 1
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Blasius Hegnouwer [Hegnauer] and Otylia Nussberger, 27 January 1555, Elgg, Zürich. FamilySearch record 66VW-HXQZ
In the archive: O04565
- 2
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Blasy Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 24 October 1557, Elgg, Zürich; parents Bläsy Hegnouwer and Otilia Neussberger [Nussberger]. FamilySearch record 66VS-1X18; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-1X1X
- 3
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of "Benefe" [Genefe, i.e. Genovefa] Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 6 April 1561, Elgg, Zürich; parents Plässy [Bläsy] Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger. FamilySearch record 66VS-VWCV; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-VWCP
- 4
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Bläsy Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 3 November 1566, Elgg, Zürich; parents Bläsy Hegnouwer and Otilia Nussberger. FamilySearch record 66V3-92WP; father's entry FamilySearch record 66V3-92WR
- 5
Ueli Müller, "Elgg," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2002 (print-edition article, updated 5 October 2020), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/000144/2020-10-05 (accessed 27 September 2026).
- 6
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Blasius Peter, 9 March 1585, Elgg, Zürich; parents Adam Peter and "Genevo Hegner" [Genovefa Hegnauer]. FamilySearch record 66VS-BDZB
In the archive: O04421
- 7
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Othilia Nussberger, wife of Blesy Hegnauwer [Blasius Hegnauer], 17 July 1602 (the index gives the date as the date of death), Elgg, Zürich (DGS 8014314, image 213): her entry FamilySearch record 66V7-WMJH; husband's entry FamilySearch record 66V7-WMJC
In the archive: O04287