hegnauer.family
H1464 The study's number for this person. Cite it and it will always lead here, whatever the spelling.
· A life in the study

Hans Hegnauer

Born in 1536 and last recorded at Elgg in 1562.

born before 1536 died after 11 Aug 1562

Elgg
Also written Hans Hegnouwer

Hans Hegnauer married Elsa Furer at Elgg, in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, on 9 February 1556,1 and two of their children were baptised there: a daughter, Regula, on 21 May 1561 and a son, Jörg, on 11 August 1562.2–3

Elgg

Elgg lay on the upper Eulach, a small, square town protected by a ditch and palisades, with town gates; in 1532 it counted 119 house plots. It had a court lordship of its own, held by the lords of Hinwil, while Zürich kept the high court as part of its bailiwick of Kyburg.4

Later years

Hans is last recorded at Jörg's baptism in August 1562.3 His death has not been found; the Elgg burial register survives only from 1591.5

What we know

Proven

  • Birth, 1536
  • Marriage to Elsa Furer at Elgg, 1556
  • Death, 1562
  • one home, from the census and other records

What's still open

  • Death. When and where he died is not yet known.
  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Source 1

1 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1556

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Hans Hegnouwer [Hegnauer] and Elsa Furer, 9 February 1556, Elgg, Zürich. FamilySearch record 66VW-W4WK

In the archive: O04569

Sources 2–3

2 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1561

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of "Pegula" [Regula] Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 21 May 1561, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hansen [Hans] Hegnouwer and Elsa Furer. FamilySearch record 66VS-LFV1; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-LFK9

In the archive: O04453 , O04452

3 Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1562

"Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Jörg Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 11 August 1562, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hanss [Hans] Hegnouwer and Elsa Furer. FamilySearch record 66V3-S8LH; father's entry FamilySearch record 66V3-S8LZ

In the archive: O04231 , O04232

Source 4

4 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 5

5 Kirchenbuch, 1551–1933, 2026

Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Elgg (Zürich), "Kirchenbuch, 1551–1933," FamilySearch Catalog 309107, filmed 1955–1961 from the originals in the Staatsarchiv Zürich: film 996838, items 1–3 (DGS 8014314), marriages 1551–1588 and 1589–1657, baptisms 1551–1592 and 1584–1657 (with separate lists by hamlet, 1560–1594 and 1594–1657), burials 1591–1657; images viewable only at a FamilySearch Center. familysearch.org/search/catalog/309107 (catalogue entry viewed 27 September 2026).

Life in time

before 1536

Birth

proven Source 1

How we know

Estimated from his marriage in 1556. His baptism and birthplace are unknown.

No record of his birth or age has been found. A man who married in 1556 was very probably born before about 1536.

  1. 1536 Birth before 1536 · proven

    Estimated from his marriage in 1556. His baptism and birthplace are unknown.

    No record of his birth or age has been found. A man who married in 1556 was very probably born before about 1536.

    Source 1

  2. 1556 Residence between 9 Feb 1556 and 11 Aug 1562 · Elgg, Zürich · proven

    His marriage and the baptisms of his two children in the Elgg church book (FamilySearch index), 1556–1562.

    Sources 1, 2, 3

  3. 1556 Marriage, with Elsa Furer 9 Feb 1556 · Elgg, Zürich · proven

    The Elgg marriage register (FamilySearch index) records Hans Hegnouwer and Elsa Furer on 9 Feb 1556. The couple are named as the parents at the Elgg baptisms of 1561 and 1562.

    Source 1

  4. 1561 Daughter born: Regula Hegnauer family event

    Their page →

  5. 1562 Death after 11 Aug 1562 · proven

    He is last recorded at the baptism of his son Jörg in August 1562. His death has not been found; the Elgg burial register survives only from 1591.

    He is named as the father at the baptism of 11 Aug 1562, and no later record can be tied to him with certainty.

    Sources 3, 5

  6. 1562 Son born: Jörg Hegnauer family event

    Their page →

  • proven
  • family event

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Places in this life

one place
1
  1. 1 Elgg, Zürich Residence between 9 Feb 1556 and 11 Aug 1562 · Marriage 9 Feb 1556

Family

This page Hans Hegnauer bef. 1536–aft. 1562
Wife · m. 9 Feb 1556 Elsa Furer bef. 1538–aft. 1562
Daughter Regula Hegnauer b. 1561 Son Jörg Hegnauer b. 1562
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Records

Search the archive →
Marriages 1 record · 1556
  • 9 Feb 1556 confirmed Marriage “Hans Hegnouwer”, groom Elgg, Zürich FamilySearch · O04569
Other records 2 records · undated
  • date unknown confirmed Church record “Hanss Hegnouwer”, father FamilySearch · O04232
  • date unknown confirmed Church record “Hansen Hegnouwer”, father FamilySearch · O04452
Also cited as evidence: 9 records filed under relatives
The evidence 4 facts with their grades, 9 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth before 1536 proven 1
Residence between 9 Feb 1556 and 11 Aug 1562 Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland proven 1 , 2 , 3
Marriage with Elsa Furer 9 Feb 1556 Elgg, Zürich, Switzerland proven 1
Death after 11 Aug 1562 proven 3 , 5

Research notes

  • Sources: FamilySearch's index of the Elgg church book: the marriage (1556) and two baptisms, each with a separate entry for the father. The images (DGS 8014314) have not been seen.
  • Name: indexed Hans (1556), Hansen (1561) and Hanss (1562), all forms of Hans; the surname is Hegnouwer throughout. The profile uses the modern spelling, Hegnauer.
  • Children: Regula and Jörg are proven: each baptism names both parents. No baptism of a child of Hans and Elsa is indexed between the wedding (Feb 1556) and Regula's baptism (May 1561); the register images should be searched for children missing from the index.
  • Which Hans? Four Hans Hegnouwer couples are named at Elgg between 1553 and 1567: Hans and Margreta Wister (a daughter baptised in 1553), Hans and Anna Petter (married 15 Jun 1555), Hans and Elsa Furer (married 9 Feb 1556; children 1561 and 1562; this profile) and Hans and Salome Peter (children 1558–1567).6, 7, 1, 8 Brosshans was also entered once as plain Hans, in 1567.9 The husbands of Elsa Furer and Salome Peter both had children baptised between 1561 and 1564, so they were two different men. The husbands of Margreta Wister and Anna Petter may be the same men in earlier marriages, or others; nothing in the index decides it, and the study keeps all four apart. The register images, which may call a groom a widower, are the best hope of joining them.
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.

Working notes

  • Family line: Elgg ZH; Hansen/Hanss; m. Elsa Furer 1556; children Regula 1561, Jörg 1562; index only (FamilySearch), images not seen; records: O04232 O04452 O04569

Sources

  1. 1

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Hans Hegnouwer [Hegnauer] and Elsa Furer, 9 February 1556, Elgg, Zürich. FamilySearch record 66VW-W4WK

    In the archive: O04569

  2. 2

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of "Pegula" [Regula] Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 21 May 1561, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hansen [Hans] Hegnouwer and Elsa Furer. FamilySearch record 66VS-LFV1; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-LFK9

    In the archive: O04453 , O04452

  3. 3

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Jörg Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 11 August 1562, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hanss [Hans] Hegnouwer and Elsa Furer. FamilySearch record 66V3-S8LH; father's entry FamilySearch record 66V3-S8LZ

    In the archive: O04231 , O04232

  4. 4

    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).

  5. 5

    Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Elgg (Zürich), "Kirchenbuch, 1551–1933," FamilySearch Catalog 309107, filmed 1955–1961 from the originals in the Staatsarchiv Zürich: film 996838, items 1–3 (DGS 8014314), marriages 1551–1588 and 1589–1657, baptisms 1551–1592 and 1584–1657 (with separate lists by hamlet, 1560–1594 and 1594–1657), burials 1591–1657; images viewable only at a FamilySearch Center. familysearch.org/search/catalog/309107 (catalogue entry viewed 27 September 2026).

  6. 6

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Anna Hegnoüwer [Hegnauer], 3 September 1553, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hans Hegnoüwer and Margreta Wister. FamilySearch record 66VS-87W8; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-87WF

    In the archive: O04411 , O04412

  7. 7

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, marriage of Hans Hegnouwer [Hegnauer] and Anna Petter, 15 June 1555, Elgg, Zürich. FamilySearch record 66VW-QF5N

    In the archive: O04568

  8. 8

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Anna Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 16 October 1558, Elgg, Zürich; parents Hans Hegnouwer and Salome Peter. FamilySearch record 66VS-FLHL; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-FLH5

    In the archive: O04433 , O04432

  9. 9

    "Switzerland, Catholic and Reformed Church Records, 1418–1996," database, FamilySearch, baptism of Elszbet Hegnouwer [Hegnauer], 20 July 1567, Elgg, Zürich; parents "Hansen" Hegnouwer [probably Brosshans Hegnauer] and Barbel Kuger [Rugger]. FamilySearch record 66VS-1RH5; father's entry FamilySearch record 66VS-1RHY

    In the archive: O04347 , O04348