NameCensus.

UK surname

Henderson

Derived from a place name meaning "son of Henry" or "son of Hendry," referring to a patronymic surname.

In the 1881 census there were 32,660 people recorded with the Henderson surname, ranking it #99 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 42,963, ranked #114, down from #99 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Allerdale and Dalbeattie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Henderson is 43,410 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.5%.

1881 census count

32,660

Ranked #99

Modern count

42,963

2016, ranked #114

Peak year

2010

43,410 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Henderson had 32,660 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #99 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 42,963 in 2016, ranked #114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38,954 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Henderson surname distribution map

The map shows where the Henderson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Henderson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Henderson over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 23,763 #85
1861 historical 24,273 #83
1881 historical 32,660 #99
1891 historical 34,929 #96
1901 historical 38,954 #101
1911 historical 18,885 #244
1997 modern 40,500 #112
1998 modern 41,922 #112
1999 modern 42,114 #114
2000 modern 42,246 #114
2001 modern 41,084 #114
2002 modern 42,155 #114
2003 modern 41,087 #114
2004 modern 41,152 #114
2005 modern 40,831 #113
2006 modern 40,849 #113
2007 modern 41,241 #114
2008 modern 41,504 #114
2009 modern 42,540 #114
2010 modern 43,410 #114
2011 modern 42,541 #114
2012 modern 41,902 #114
2013 modern 42,761 #114
2014 modern 43,207 #114
2015 modern 42,942 #114
2016 modern 42,963 #114

Geography

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Where Hendersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Allerdale, Dalbeattie and Logie and Blackness. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
3 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
4 Dalbeattie Dumfries and Galloway
5 Logie and Blackness Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Henderson

These lists show first names that appear often with the Henderson surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Henderson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Henderson, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Henderson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Henderson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Henderson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Henderson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Henderson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Henderson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Henderson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Henderson

The surname Henderson has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "henn" (chicken) and "tun" (farm or enclosure), combined to form the place name "Hentun" or "Hennedun," meaning a farm or settlement where chickens were raised.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appeared as "Hendersone" in these rolls.

The Henderson name is closely associated with the county of Ayrshire in southwestern Scotland, where it is believed to have originated. The earliest known bearer of the surname was Walter de Hendreston, who was mentioned in a charter dated 1280, granting him lands in the village of Henderstoun (now known as Henderson) near Kilwinning, Ayrshire.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Henderson family played a significant role in the history of Scotland. In the 14th century, a notable figure was Sir John Henderson, a knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 16th century, the Henderson name gained prominence with the birth of Alexander Henderson (1583-1646), a prominent Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who played a pivotal role in the Scottish Reformation. He was a key figure in the drafting of the National Covenant of 1638, which sought to preserve the Presbyterian form of church government in Scotland.

Another notable bearer of the Henderson name was Thomas Henderson (1798-1844), a Scottish astronomer and mathematician. He was the first Astronomer Royal for Scotland and made significant contributions to the study of comets and the determination of stellar parallax.

In the literary world, Ebenezer Henderson (1784-1858), a Scottish Congregationalist minister and author, gained recognition for his works on biblical criticism and his translations of Icelandic literature.

The Henderson surname also found its way to the United States, where several individuals made their mark. One such person was Richard Henderson (1735-1785), a prominent judge and land speculator from Virginia, who played a key role in the establishment of the Transylvania Colony in what is now Kentucky.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the surname Henderson throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in Scotland and its widespread influence across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Henderson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Henderson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 3,649 Hendersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 3,649 3.55x
Durham 3,378 3.58x
Midlothian 2,904 6.83x
Northumberland 2,603 5.51x
Fife 1,714 9.12x
Aberdeenshire 1,636 5.56x
Middlesex 1,439 0.45x
Lancashire 1,407 0.37x
Angus 1,346 4.58x
Yorkshire 1,032 0.33x
Perthshire 818 5.74x
Caithness 794 18.26x
Stirlingshire 737 6.29x
Renfrewshire 644 2.62x
Surrey 599 0.39x
Cumberland 555 2.03x
Roxburghshire 508 8.83x
Ayrshire 503 2.12x
Shetland 472 14.55x
Dumfriesshire 468 6.67x
Kent 367 0.34x
Argyllshire 361 4.08x
Berwickshire 297 7.72x
Dunbartonshire 280 3.28x
East Lothian 274 6.51x
Banffshire 258 3.92x
Cheshire 247 0.35x
West Lothian 232 4.85x
Selkirkshire 217 7.55x
Clackmannanshire 198 7.55x
Kincardineshire 162 4.19x
Morayshire 157 3.18x
Kirkcudbrightshire 153 3.33x
Gloucestershire 142 0.23x
Hampshire 114 0.18x
Inverness-shire 112 1.18x
Warwickshire 104 0.13x
Sussex 102 0.19x
Peeblesshire 101 6.76x
Ross-shire 98 1.12x
Devon 84 0.13x
Cornwall 83 0.23x
Kinross-shire 83 10.34x
Essex 77 0.12x
Wigtownshire 77 1.83x
Nottinghamshire 68 0.16x
Westmorland 68 0.97x
Buteshire 62 3.22x
Staffordshire 53 0.05x
Somerset 51 0.10x
Leicestershire 50 0.14x
Derbyshire 46 0.09x
Lincolnshire 41 0.08x
Sutherland 41 1.68x
Glamorgan 39 0.07x
Royal Navy 39 1.03x
Worcestershire 39 0.09x
Suffolk 38 0.10x
Berkshire 37 0.16x
Hertfordshire 31 0.14x
Shropshire 25 0.09x
Norfolk 24 0.05x
Orkney 24 0.69x
Dorset 20 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 20 0.20x
Oxfordshire 19 0.10x
Wiltshire 16 0.06x
Northamptonshire 15 0.05x
Cardiganshire 12 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.09x
Bedfordshire 8 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.04x
Flintshire 8 0.09x
Nairnshire 8 0.83x
Channel Islands 7 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.03x
Isle of Man 6 0.10x
Herefordshire 5 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.06x
Rutland 4 0.17x
Anglesey 3 0.05x
Denbighshire 3 0.03x
Brecknockshire 1 0.02x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.01x
Merionethshire 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 1,201 Hendersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.02x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1,201 7.02x
Barony 1,038 3.99x
Govan 912 3.59x
Glasgow 726 3.98x
Dundee 537 4.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 400 6.51x
Gateshead 347 4.91x
Bishopwearmouth 346 4.27x
South Leith 312 6.52x
Dunfermline 254 8.79x
Liff Benvie 251 5.62x
Westoe 241 4.50x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 227 4.13x
Wick 207 14.74x
Elswick 187 4.96x
Falkirk 185 6.75x
Westgate 178 6.08x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 174 4.25x
Latheron 160 22.00x
St Pancras London 152 0.59x
Camberwell 151 0.74x
Liverpool 141 0.62x
Islington London 139 0.45x
Newcastle On Tyne St 136 5.55x
Old Monkland 133 3.26x
North Leith 131 6.65x
Dunrossness 127 29.75x
Kirkcaldy 117 12.55x
Halkirk 116 39.44x
New Monkland 116 3.82x
Byker 113 4.84x
Abbotshall 111 15.80x
Stirling 110 7.45x
Dysart 107 8.45x
West Greenock 107 2.42x
Edinburgh Canongate 105 9.70x
Perth East Church 105 7.81x
Stockton On Tees 104 2.28x
Lambeth 103 0.37x
Montrose 103 5.78x
St Marylebone London 103 0.61x
Thurso 101 14.89x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 99 3.51x
Toxteth Park 99 0.78x
Tynemouth 98 3.87x
West Derby 96 0.87x
Ardnamurchan 92 20.52x
Bothwell 92 3.30x
Wemyss 90 11.32x
Kilmarnock 87 3.08x
Inveresk 85 7.38x
Longbenton 85 4.25x
Melrose 84 11.62x
Lerwick Gulberwick 83 16.54x
Maryhill 82 4.08x
Stranton 82 2.58x
Everton 81 0.67x
Leeds 80 0.45x
Cowpen 79 7.26x
Monkwearmouth Shore 79 4.28x
Alloa 78 6.13x
St Ninians 77 6.63x
East Greenock 76 3.27x
Jedburgh 76 13.48x
Logie 76 14.86x
Paisley High Church 76 3.88x
Darlington 74 2.03x
Forfar 74 4.65x
Galashiels 74 6.97x
Paddington London 74 0.63x
Abbey 72 1.92x
Hawick 72 5.59x
Peterhead 72 4.63x
Bedlington 71 4.50x
Kirkdale 71 1.12x
Manchester 71 0.42x
Salford 71 0.64x
Edinburgh St Georges 70 7.93x
New Deer 69 12.96x
Hamilton 67 2.34x
Bathgate 66 6.36x
Berwick Upon Tweed 66 6.59x
New Kilpatrick 66 8.13x
Markinch 65 10.19x
Acomb 64 55.76x
Middlesbrough 63 1.54x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Henderson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 1,010
Elizabeth 594
Jane 470
Margaret 444
Sarah 338
Ann 266
Isabella 249
Annie 193
Hannah 137
Ellen 135
Alice 114
Eliza 108
Emily 99
Catherine 97
Emma 94
Agnes 71
Martha 68
Frances 63
Maria 58
Charlotte 52
Anne 50
Louisa 50
Ada 49
Jessie 48
Edith 47
Harriet 46
Eleanor 45
Kate 44
Dorothy 43
Florence 37
Helen 37
Esther 36
Elizth. 35
Fanny 34
Janet 32
Clara 31
Caroline 30
Barbara 28
Lucy 26
Margret 25
Margt. 25
Maggie 24
Rebecca 24
Amy 23
Gertrude 21
Amelia 20
Ethel 20
Rachel 18
Harriett 17
Julia 17

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Henderson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 980
William 792
James 525
Thomas 508
George 441
Robert 419
Joseph 249
Henry 168
Edward 140
Charles 131
Alexander 112
David 88
Richard 80
Wm. 65
Alfred 62
Arthur 62
Andrew 59
Matthew 57
Frederick 53
Walter 53
Thos. 45
Samuel 41
Peter 37
Ralph 37
Frank 33
Harry 31
Robt. 28
Albert 27
Francis 27
Christopher 26
Isaac 25
Michael 24
Herbert 22
Ernest 21
Mark 21
Adam 19
Edwin 19
Archibald 18
Geo. 17
Hugh 17
Mathew 17
Daniel 16
Tom 14
Benjamin 12
Harold 12
Jno. 12
Martin 10
Percy 10
Douglas 9
Jas. 9

FAQ

Henderson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Henderson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32,660 people were recorded with the Henderson surname. That placed it at #99 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Henderson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 42,963 in 2016. That gives Henderson a modern rank of #114.

What does the Henderson surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "son of Henry" or "son of Hendry," referring to a patronymic surname.

What does the Henderson map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Henderson bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.