H1459
The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.Genovefa Hegnauer
Born at Elgg in 1561 and died there in 1616.
born before 6 Apr 1561 at Elgg, Zürich died 3 Nov 1616 at Elgg, Zürich
Life story
Genovefa Hegnauer was baptised at Elgg, in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, on 6 April 1561, the daughter of Blasius (Bläsy) Hegnauer and Otylia Nussberger.1 She very probably became the wife of Adam Peter of Elgg, and died there in November 1616, aged fifty-five.2–3
Early life
Genovefa had two brothers, both named after their father: Blasy, baptised in 1557, and a second Bläsy, baptised in 1566.4–5
Marriage and children
The record of Genovefa's wedding has not been found. She and Adam had at least three children baptised at Elgg. Their first son, baptised on 9 March 1585, was named Blasius, as her father was; a second son, Fridrich, followed on 3 November 1588, and a daughter, Maria, is also recorded.2, 6–7
In her lifetime the parish changed shape. Towards the end of the sixteenth century its villages in the Thurgau, which had returned to the Catholic faith, broke away from Elgg.8
Death
Genovefa died on 3 November 1616 and was buried at Elgg as the wife of Adam Peter.3
What we know
Proven
- Birth at Elgg, 1561
- Baptism at Elgg, 1561
- Death at Elgg, 1616
- Burial at Elgg, 1616
- one home, from the census and other records
Probable
- Marriage to Adam Peter
What's still open
Nothing the notes flag. Which is not the same as nothing left to find.
Sources
Source 1
1 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
Sources 2–3
2 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
3 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1616
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Genovia Hegnower [Genovefa Hegnauer], wife of Adam Peter, Elgg, Zürich; death 3 November 1616. FamilySearch record 66V7-D1WK
In the archive: O04257
Sources 4–5
4 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
5 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
Sources 6–7
6 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1588
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Fridrich Peter, 3 November 1588, Elgg, Zürich; parents Adam Peter and "Ganeur Hegner" [Genovefa Hegnauer]. FamilySearch record 66VS-1R4S
In the archive: O04344
7 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Maria Petter [Peter]; parents Adam Petter and "Geneur Hegnauwer" [Genovefa Hegnauer]: mother's entry, the date and place not shown in the search result. FamilySearch record 66VS-256V
In the archive: O04364
Source 8
8 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).
More sources are in the evidence below.
Life in time
before 6 Apr 1561
Birth , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
Only the baptism is recorded; the place is the parish of baptism.
Only the baptism is recorded, so she was born on or shortly before 6 Apr 1561.
6 Apr 1561
Baptism , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
FamilySearch index; the image has not been viewed.
The Elgg baptism register (FamilySearch index; her entry, as "Benefe", and a separate entry for her father) names her parents as Plässy [Bläsy] Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger.
between 9 Mar 1585 and 3 Nov 1616
Residence , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
If she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable).
The baptisms of her children (1585, 1588) and her burial (1616) in the Elgg church book (FamilySearch index), if she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable).
3 Nov 1616
Death , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
If she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable). The date is the one the index of the burial register gives as her date of death.
The Elgg burial register (FamilySearch index) records Genovia Hegnower, wife of Adam Peter, with the date of death 3 Nov 1616. She is taken to be Genovefa, baptised in 1561 (probable).
about 3 Nov 1616
Burial , Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland
How we know
On or soon after 3 Nov 1616; the index gives no separate burial date. If she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable).
The same entry of the Elgg burial register.
-
1561 Birth
Only the baptism is recorded; the place is the parish of baptism.
Only the baptism is recorded, so she was born on or shortly before 6 Apr 1561.
Source 1
-
1561 Baptism
FamilySearch index; the image has not been viewed.
The Elgg baptism register (FamilySearch index; her entry, as "Benefe", and a separate entry for her father) names her parents as Plässy [Bläsy] Hegnouwer and Otylia Nussberger.
Source 1
-
1616 Death
If she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable). The date is the one the index of the burial register gives as her date of death.
The Elgg burial register (FamilySearch index) records Genovia Hegnower, wife of Adam Peter, with the date of death 3 Nov 1616. She is taken to be Genovefa, baptised in 1561 (probable).
Source 3
-
1616 Burial
On or soon after 3 Nov 1616; the index gives no separate burial date. If she is the wife of Adam Peter (probable).
The same entry of the Elgg burial register.
Source 3
- proven
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Places in this life
one place- 1 Elgg, Zürich Birth before 6 Apr 1561 · Baptism 6 Apr 1561 · Residence between 9 Mar 1585 and 3 Nov 1616 · 2 more
Family
Records
Search the archive →Births and baptisms
Deaths and burials
Other records
Also cited as evidence: 5 records filed under relatives
- 24 Oct 1557 confirmed Baptism “Blasy Hegnouwer”, filed under Blasy Hegnauer FamilySearch
- 3 Nov 1566 confirmed Baptism “Bläsy Hegnouwer”, filed under Bläsy 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 6 facts with their grades, 9 sources, and the research notes
Facts
| Fact | Date | Place | Grade | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | before 6 Apr 1561 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 1 |
| Baptism | 6 Apr 1561 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 1 |
| Residence | between 9 Mar 1585 and 3 Nov 1616 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 2 , 3 , 6 |
| Death | 3 Nov 1616 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 3 |
| Burial | about 3 Nov 1616 | Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland | proven | 3 |
| Marriage with Adam Peter | probable | 2 , 3 , 6 |
Research notes
- Sources: FamilySearch's index of the Elgg church book: her baptism (with a separate entry for her father), the baptisms of three of her children, and her burial. The images have not been seen.
- Name: her baptism is indexed "Benefe", a misreading of Genefe, a form of Genovefa (Genoveva). She is "Genevo Hegner" in 1585, "Ganeur Hegner" in 1588, "Geneur Hegnauwer" at Maria's baptism and "Genovia Hegnower" at her burial. The profile uses the modern spelling, Hegnauer.
- Hegner: At Elgg the index spells the family Hegner in entries of 1569–1636. This is the Hegnauer family, not the Hegner family that became citizens of Winterthur in 1430:9 the same couples are indexed under both spellings, and Genovefa herself is Hegner, Hegnauwer and Hegnower in her entries.
- Wife of Adam Peter (probable): no record names the parents of Adam Peter's wife. She is taken to be the Genovefa of 1561 because (1) she is the only Hegnauer girl of that name in the Elgg index; (2) the dates fit: Genovefa of 1561 was 23 when the first of the Peter children was baptised; (3) that child was named Blasius, her father's name. Graded probable, as in the study's Elgg reconstruction.
- Date of death: the index of the burial register gives 3 Nov 1616 as the date of death and no separate burial date; the image may show it to be the date of burial.
- Children: Blasius (1585), Fridrich (1588) and Maria Peter (date not in the study's extract) are not yet separate profiles in the study.
- This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.
Working notes
- Family line: Elgg ZH; baptism indexed 'Benefe' (for Genefe = Genoveva); probably the Genovia/Genevo/Geneur Hegner who married Adam Peter and named her first son Blasius (1585); parents: proven - baptism names both parents; index only (FamilySearch), images not seen; records: O04257 O04344 O04364 O04421 O04513
Sources
- 1
"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
- 2
"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
- 3
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, burial of Genovia Hegnower [Genovefa Hegnauer], wife of Adam Peter, Elgg, Zürich; death 3 November 1616. FamilySearch record 66V7-D1WK
In the archive: O04257
- 4
"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
- 5
"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
- 6
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Fridrich Peter, 3 November 1588, Elgg, Zürich; parents Adam Peter and "Ganeur Hegner" [Genovefa Hegnauer]. FamilySearch record 66VS-1R4S
In the archive: O04344
- 7
"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Maria Petter [Peter]; parents Adam Petter and "Geneur Hegnauwer" [Genovefa Hegnauer]: mother's entry, the date and place not shown in the search result. FamilySearch record 66VS-256V
In the archive: O04364
- 8
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).
- 9
Alfred Bütikofer, "Hegner," Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS), version of 2004 (print-edition article, updated 5 November 2009), hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/023858/2009-11-05 (accessed 27 September 2026).