NameCensus.

UK surname

Hennig

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "hagan," meaning "enclosure," and "wig," meaning "battle" or "fight."

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Hennig surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton, Bolton and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hennig is 109 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 678.6%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2016

109 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hennig had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Hennig surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hennig surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hennig 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 78 #30,192
1999 modern 79 #30,243
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 82 #29,714
2002 modern 85 #29,867
2003 modern 83 #30,088
2004 modern 83 #30,352
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 81 #31,044
2007 modern 82 #31,295
2008 modern 85 #31,247
2009 modern 81 #32,172
2010 modern 88 #31,875
2011 modern 91 #31,442
2012 modern 93 #31,409
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Hennigs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton, Bolton, Stockton-on-Tees, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and North Norfolk. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 007 Sefton
2 Bolton 006 Bolton
3 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 North Norfolk 011 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hennig

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hennig

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hennig, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Hennig surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Hennig household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hennig is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hennig is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hennig falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hennig 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Hennig

The surname HENNIG is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Germanic personal name "Henning," which itself comes from the Old High German words "hagan" meaning "hedge" or "enclosure," and "nang" meaning "courage" or "valor."

The earliest known references to the surname HENNIG can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of present-day Germany, particularly in the areas around Saxony and Thuringia. It is believed that the name was initially used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived near a hedge or enclosure, or someone who exhibited bravery and courage.

In the historical records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Henninges, Henniges, and Hennigs, reflecting the regional variations in language and dialects. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century.

Notable individuals with the surname HENNIG throughout history include Johann Hennig (1572-1618), a German astronomer and mathematician who was one of the first to calculate the elliptical orbits of comets. Another prominent figure was Johann Wilhelm Hennig (1786-1822), a German botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

In the 16th century, the HENNIG family established itself in the town of Großenhain, near Dresden, where a branch of the family can be traced back to Caspar Hennig (1529-1600), a prominent merchant and landowner. His descendants included several notable figures, such as Christian Friedrich Hennig (1668-1744), a Lutheran theologian and writer.

Another notable person with the surname HENNIG was Willy Hennig (1913-1976), a German entomologist and biologist who developed the principles of phylogenetic systematics, a method for reconstructing the evolutionary relationships between species based on shared derived characteristics.

Throughout the centuries, the surname HENNIG has also been associated with various place names, such as Hennigsdorf, a town in Brandenburg, Germany, which likely derived its name from an early settler with the surname HENNIG.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hennig families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hennig 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. Surrey leads with 9 Hennigs recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.54x.

County Total Index
Surrey 9 13.54x
Middlesex 3 2.20x
Essex 1 3.71x
Glamorgan 1 4.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 4 Hennigs recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.92x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 4 45.92x
Newington 4 79.37x
Ashford 2 1818.18x
Cardiff St Mary 1 76.34x
Dagenham 1 625.00x
St George In East London 1 78.13x
Wimbledon 1 133.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Mabel 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Julius 2
Arthur 1
August 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
John 1
William 1

FAQ

Hennig surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hennig surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Hennig surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hennig surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Hennig a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Hennig surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "hagan," meaning "enclosure," and "wig," meaning "battle" or "fight."

What does the Hennig map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hennig 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.