UK surname
An Anglicized form of an Irish surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ó hAnnaiscín meaning "descendant of Annas".
In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Hennesy surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 40, ranked #35,434, down from #15,674 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Edmonton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hennesy is 147 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.8%.
1881 census count
147
Ranked #15,674
Modern count
40
2016, ranked #35,434
Peak year
1881
147 bearers
Map years
2
1881 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hennesy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hennesy surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 77 | #19,998 |
| 1861 | historical | 62 | #26,041 |
| 1881 | historical | 147 | #15,674 |
| 1891 | historical | 94 | #24,820 |
| 1901 | historical | 127 | #19,893 |
| 1911 | historical | 81 | #24,719 |
| 1997 | modern | 37 | #33,964 |
| 1998 | modern | 42 | #33,651 |
| 1999 | modern | 43 | #33,683 |
| 2000 | modern | 34 | #34,517 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 29 | #35,030 |
| 2003 | modern | 22 | #35,740 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 32 | #35,191 |
| 2006 | modern | 33 | #35,329 |
| 2007 | modern | 37 | #35,215 |
| 2008 | modern | 36 | #35,397 |
| 2009 | modern | 41 | #35,221 |
| 2010 | modern | 41 | #35,358 |
| 2011 | modern | 41 | #35,340 |
| 2012 | modern | 44 | #35,164 |
| 2013 | modern | 43 | #35,271 |
| 2014 | modern | 41 | #35,396 |
| 2015 | modern | 40 | #35,422 |
| 2016 | modern | 40 | #35,434 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Edmonton, London parishes, St Giles-in-the-Fields and Merthyr Tydfil. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | Edmonton | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St Giles-in-the-Fields | London (Central Districts) |
| 5 | Merthyr Tydfil | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hennesy surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hennesy, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hennesy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hennesy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hennesy is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hennesy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hennesy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HENNESY is of Irish origin, tracing its roots back to the 12th century when it first emerged in the province of Munster. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name Ó hAnnracháin, derived from the personal name Anrachán, which means "voyager" or "wanderer."
The name is believed to have originated in the territory of the Uí Anluain, a branch of the Uí Fidgheinte sept that held sway over parts of what is now County Limerick and County Cork. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Irish annals and documents, where it appears in various spellings, such as O'Hanraghan, O'Hanrahan, and O'Hanraghty.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Domhnall Ó hAnnracháin, a prominent Irish cleric who served as Bishop of Emly (now County Tipperary) in the late 12th century. Another notable figure was Tadhg Ó hAnnracháin, a 15th-century poet and historian from County Limerick, whose works are preserved in the Book of Fermoy.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, during the Tudor and Cromwellian conquests of Ireland, many Irish families were dispossessed of their lands and sought refuge in other parts of the country or abroad. It was during this period that the anglicized form HENNESY began to emerge, as the name was adapted to English spelling and pronunciation.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the anglicized spelling HENNESY can be found in the 1659 Census of Ireland, where it appears as a variant of the name in County Cork. Over time, this spelling became more prevalent, particularly among those who settled in urban areas or emigrated to other parts of the English-speaking world.
Notable bearers of the HENNESY surname include:
1. Richard Hennesy (c. 1690-1776), an Irish Jacobite soldier and politician who served as a member of the Irish House of Commons. 2. John Hennesy (1786-1842), an Irish-American merchant and politician who served as Mayor of Boston from 1825 to 1826. 3. Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745-1797), a former slave and abolitionist author whose birth name is believed to have been Olauda Hennessy. 4. Sir John Hennesy (1834-1908), an Irish-born judge and politician who served as Chief Justice of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia). 5. James Hennesy (1916-1986), an Irish-American actor and comedian known for his roles in films such as The Sting and The Untouchables.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hennesy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 34 Hennesys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 34 | 2.37x |
| Glamorgan | 27 | 10.81x |
| Lancashire | 22 | 1.29x |
| Surrey | 12 | 1.72x |
| Nottinghamshire | 10 | 5.17x |
| Monmouthshire | 6 | 5.79x |
| Kent | 4 | 0.82x |
| Midlothian | 4 | 2.08x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.28x |
| Angus | 3 | 2.26x |
| Durham | 3 | 0.70x |
| Somerset | 3 | 1.30x |
| Dorset | 2 | 2.13x |
| Essex | 2 | 0.71x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 1.26x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 0.94x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 0.81x |
| Fife | 1 | 1.18x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.36x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.34x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.01x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.21x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.57x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 19 Hennesys recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.17x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hennesy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hennesy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Hennesy surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 40 in 2016. That gives Hennesy a modern rank of #35,434.
An Anglicized form of an Irish surname derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ó hAnnaiscín meaning "descendant of Annas".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hennesy bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.