NameCensus.

UK surname

Hennings

Derived from a patronymic surname meaning "son of Henning," a Germanic given name meaning "ruler of the home."

In the 1881 census there were 193 people recorded with the Hennings surname, ranking it #13,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, down from #13,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes and Kingston-on-Thames. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Thames, Horsham and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hennings is 402 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.2%.

1881 census count

193

Ranked #13,144

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

1891

402 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hennings had 193 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 402 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hennings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hennings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hennings 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 266 #9,318
1881 historical 193 #13,144
1891 historical 402 #8,842
1901 historical 272 #12,440
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 174 #19,231
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 176 #19,722
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 166 #21,745
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Hennings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, Stratton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Thames, Horsham, Wigan and Bolton. 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 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
4 Stratton Cornwall
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Thames 006 Kingston upon Thames
2 Horsham 013 Horsham
3 Wigan 023 Wigan
4 Kingston upon Thames 014 Kingston upon Thames
5 Bolton 035 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hennings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hennings

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Hennings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hennings 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hennings is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hennings is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hennings falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hennings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hennings

The surname Hennings has its origins in Germany. It emerged in the Middle Ages, derived from the medieval German word 'Henninges,' meaning 'son of Henning.' Henning was a Germanic personal name with obscure origins but believed to be associated with the Old Norse word 'henar,' meaning 'hen' or 'rooster.'

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Hennings surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The Hennings name appears in several legal documents and land transactions from this period, indicating its presence among the nobility and landowners of the region.

During the 14th century, the Hennings surname gained prominence in the city of Lübeck, a prominent member of the Hanseatic League. Records from this time show several notable individuals bearing the name, including Johann Hennings, a successful merchant and councilman who lived from 1320 to 1387.

As the Hennings family spread across Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as Henninges, Henningsen, and Hennigs. Some of these variations were influenced by the local dialects and naming traditions of different regions.

In the 16th century, the Hennings name was associated with the city of Essen, where a prominent family of scholars and educators resided. One notable member was Johannes Hennings, born in 1542, who served as the rector of the Gymnasium Academicum in Essen and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

The Hennings surname also found its way into Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Sweden, where it was often spelled as Henningsen or Henningsson. In the 17th century, a notable figure was Niels Henningsen, a Danish astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1603 to 1667.

Other notable individuals bearing the Hennings surname throughout history include:

1. Gottfried Hennings (1638-1704), a German jurist and legal scholar from Saxony. 2. Adolph Friedrich Hennings (1694-1768), a German botanist and mycologist from Lübeck. 3. Friedrich Hennings (1848-1924), a German artist and painter from Hamburg. 4. Ernst Hennings (1886-1956), a German expressionist poet and writer from Flensburg. 5. Emmy Hennings (1885-1948), a German cabaret performer, actress, and writer, born in Flensburg.

Overall, the surname Hennings has a rich history spanning centuries and various regions of Germany, with branches extending into Scandinavia. Its presence can be traced back to the Middle Ages, and it has been associated with notable figures in fields such as commerce, education, science, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hennings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hennings 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 35 Hennings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.

County Total Index
Surrey 35 3.78x
Devon 24 6.06x
Middlesex 16 0.84x
Essex 13 3.46x
Cornwall 10 4.64x
Leicestershire 10 4.74x
Buckinghamshire 9 7.83x
Lancashire 9 0.40x
Glamorgan 8 2.42x
Norfolk 8 2.74x
Staffordshire 8 1.25x
Suffolk 8 3.45x
Kent 7 1.08x
Sussex 5 1.56x
Warwickshire 5 1.04x
Gloucestershire 4 1.07x
Hampshire 3 0.77x
Hertfordshire 3 2.29x
Dorset 2 1.60x
Herefordshire 2 2.56x
Royal Navy 2 8.82x
Ayrshire 1 0.70x
Derbyshire 1 0.34x
Lincolnshire 1 0.33x
Wiltshire 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 14 Hennings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 225.44x.

Place Total Index
Barnstaple 14 225.44x
Lambeth 14 8.44x
Enderby 10 917.43x
Newington 9 12.81x
Ipswich St Peter 8 256.41x
Sedgley 8 33.54x
Steeple Claydon 8 1428.57x
Mile End Old Town London 7 17.29x
Swansea Town 7 25.78x
Camberwell 6 4.94x
Stratton 6 512.82x
Birmingham 5 3.13x
Chichester St Pancras 5 520.83x
Great Yarmouth 5 20.64x
Halliwell 5 60.90x
West Ham 5 6.03x
West Thurrock 5 400.00x
Bermondsey 4 7.06x
Bristol St George 4 23.19x
Edmonton 4 26.09x
Maker 4 201.01x
Darcy Lever 3 230.77x
East Ham 3 43.04x
East Stonehouse 3 38.46x
Stoke Damerel 3 10.83x
Woolwich 3 12.51x
Hampreston 2 219.78x
Islington London 2 1.08x
Lydd 2 143.88x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 6.56x
Royal Navy 2 10.32x
Runham 2 344.83x
Sellack 2 909.09x
St Marylebone London 2 1.97x
Stoke 2 125.00x
Ware 2 53.19x
Carisbrooke 1 18.48x
Chesterfield 1 8.96x
Clase 1 8.12x
Donhead St Andrew 1 192.31x
Great Grimsby 1 5.18x
Hackney London 1 0.94x
Hertford St John 1 51.28x
Hound 1 37.74x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 11.39x
Minster In Sheppey 1 9.30x
Monkton Prestwick 1 71.94x
Newton 1 5.75x
Penge 1 8.23x
Plumstead 1 4.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.61x
St Mary Extra 1 31.85x
Weedon 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Alice 5
Eliza 4
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Amy 2
Ann 2
Bessie 2
C. 2
Fanny 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Selina 2
Annette 1
Beatrice 1
Birtha 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizh.J. 1
Elvy 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eveline 1
F. 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Maleta 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nelly 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
Thomas 9
George 8
Charles 7
Henry 5
John 5
James 4
Albert 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Fred 2
Joseph 2
Joshua 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Abraham 1
Adam 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.A. 1
Chas.Geo. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
J. 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Stephen 1
T. 1
Wilfred 1
Willm.T. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hennings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hennings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 193 people were recorded with the Hennings surname. That placed it at #13,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hennings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Hennings a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Hennings surname mean?

Derived from a patronymic surname meaning "son of Henning," a Germanic given name meaning "ruler of the home."

What does the Hennings map show?

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