HENSON
The surname Henson is of English origin and originates from the medieval given name Henne, a diminutive form of Henry. The name Henry derives from the Germanic personal name Heimric, which means home ruler. Consequently, Henson is understood to signify son of Henry or son of the home ruler.
During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries it was customary in England to form surnames by attaching the patronymic suffix -son to the father's given name, thereby indicating lineage. The application of this suffix to Henne produced the patronymic surname Henson, and the name has remained in use ever since.
Over time, a number of spelling variations have appeared in the historical record. Variants such as Hennison, Henrison, and Hennis have arisen due to regional dialects, transliteration errors and the phonetic rendering of names in parish registers. These differences do not imply separate family lines; rather, they reflect the limited literacy levels and inconsistent orthographic practices of the period.
Notable individuals who have carried the surname include Jim Henson, the celebrated puppeteer and creator of the Muppets; Matthew Henson, an Arctic explorer; and Taraji P. Henson, a prominent actress. These figures have contributed to the contemporary recognition of the surname.
In modern usage, Henson is a common surname across English‑speaking countries. It is most frequent in the United States, where it is particularly widespread in the Southern states, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. Genealogical research continues to explore the precise geographic origins of the name within the British Isles, though a consensus has yet to be reached.
In addition to the variants listed above, related surnames such as Henison, Heneson, Hennson, and Henderson also share the same fundamental meaning of son of Henry. Surnames like Hanson and Hansson, which are of Scandinavian origin and translate to son of Hans, are often confused with Henson but are distinct in their lineage.
Typical given names associated with the Henson surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Rachel
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Henry
- Hendry
- Hendrie
- Hainson
- Haneson
- Hanison
- Hanason
- Hankenson
- Hannson
- Hansan
- Hansen
- Hansin
- Hansine
- Hansom
- Hanson
- Hansone
- Hansons
- Hanssen
- Hanssens
- Hansson
- Hanzen
- Heanson
- Heinsen
- Heinsohn
- Heinson
- Heinzen
- Hemson
- Hendson
- Hengon
- Henison
- Henkinson
- Hennison
- Hennson
- Henon
- Henrison
- Henryson
- Hensan
- Henscoe
- Henscomb
- Hensen
- Hensens
- Hensgen
- Hensom
- Hensons
- Henssen
- Henston
- Hewenson
- Hineson
- Hinson
- Hohnson
- Honson
- Houinson
- Hounson
- Hunsen
- Hunson
- Hynson
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Henson in...
Braille
⠓⠑⠝⠎⠕⠝
Morse
.....-....----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 7,397 people named Henson in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,264th most common surname in Britain. Around 114 in a million people in Britain are named Henson.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Henson
- Taraji P. Henson - American actress
- Gavin Henson - Welsh rugby union player
- Jim Henson - American puppeteer, filmmaker, and businessman (1936 to 1990)
- Keaton Henson - Musician and artist
- Nicky Henson - Actor
- Lauren Henson - Musician
- Adam Henson - Television personality
- Leslie Henson - Actor, producer and comedian (1891 to 1957)
- Gladys Henson - Actress (1897 to 1982)
- Joe Henson - (1932 to 2015)
- William Samuel Henson - Aviation engineer and inventor (1812 to 1888)
- George Henson - Football player (1911 to 1)
- David Henson -
- William Henson - Cricketer (1872 to 1922)
- Douglas Henson - Cricketer (1930 to 2003)
- Len Henson - Football player (1921 to 2008)
- Richard Henson - Cricketer (1864 to 1930)
- Phil Henson - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.