NameCensus.

UK surname

Henshaw

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by or worked at a hen-roost or hen-house.

In the 1881 census there were 2,549 people recorded with the Henshaw surname, ranking it #1,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,771, ranked #1,794, down from #1,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Henshaw is 4,025 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.9%.

1881 census count

2,549

Ranked #1,752

Modern count

3,771

2016, ranked #1,794

Peak year

1999

4,025 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Henshaw had 2,549 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,771 in 2016, ranked #1,794.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,474 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Henshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Henshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Henshaw 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 1,656 #1,737
1861 historical 1,341 #2,138
1881 historical 2,549 #1,752
1891 historical 2,621 #1,818
1901 historical 3,283 #1,697
1911 historical 3,474 #1,502
1997 modern 3,876 #1,675
1998 modern 3,980 #1,698
1999 modern 4,025 #1,690
2000 modern 4,007 #1,687
2001 modern 3,913 #1,690
2002 modern 4,017 #1,682
2003 modern 3,891 #1,701
2004 modern 3,894 #1,705
2005 modern 3,807 #1,714
2006 modern 3,858 #1,697
2007 modern 3,844 #1,718
2008 modern 3,844 #1,730
2009 modern 3,918 #1,734
2010 modern 3,987 #1,744
2011 modern 3,889 #1,762
2012 modern 3,781 #1,780
2013 modern 3,828 #1,790
2014 modern 3,845 #1,788
2015 modern 3,806 #1,785
2016 modern 3,771 #1,794

Geography

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Where Henshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Ilkeston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash and Broxtowe. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 003 Erewash
2 Erewash 001 Erewash
3 Erewash 016 Erewash
4 Erewash 005 Erewash
5 Broxtowe 016 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Henshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Henshaw

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Henshaw, 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 Henshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Henshaw 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Henshaw 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

Henshaw is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Henshaw 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 Henshaw is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Henshaw

The surname Henshaw has its roots in England, originating during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "henn" meaning "hen" and "sceaga" meaning "small wood or thicket." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where hens were kept in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Heneshale" in Staffordshire. This ancient record provides evidence that the name was already established in England by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Henneshalgh" and "Henneshagh" in Lancashire and Cheshire respectively. These variations reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Henshaw throughout history include John Henshaw (c.1592-1659), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Wigan during the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Henshaw (1618-1700), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Cheshire.

In the 18th century, Joseph Henshaw (1776-1842) was a prominent English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Moving into the 19th century, we find David Henshaw (1790-1852), an American politician and businessman who served as the 16th United States Secretary of the Navy under President John Tyler.

Lastly, in the 20th century, John Patrick Michael Henshaw (1912-1999) was a British actor and comedian, best known for his roles in films such as "Carry On Sergeant" and "Carry On Constable."

Throughout its history, the surname Henshaw has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, particularly in the northwest counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, where it is believed to have originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Henshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Henshaw 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. Lancashire leads with 755 Henshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 755 2.56x
Derbyshire 383 9.83x
Cheshire 297 5.40x
Middlesex 160 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 160 4.77x
Staffordshire 160 1.90x
Yorkshire 123 0.50x
Leicestershire 74 2.68x
Warwickshire 70 1.11x
Surrey 43 0.35x
Sussex 36 0.86x
Kent 29 0.34x
Shropshire 29 1.35x
Durham 28 0.38x
Northamptonshire 25 1.07x
Lanarkshire 20 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 18 1.72x
Denbighshire 17 1.81x
Worcestershire 16 0.49x
Glamorgan 11 0.25x
Essex 10 0.20x
Bedfordshire 9 0.70x
Brecknockshire 9 1.81x
Gloucestershire 9 0.18x
Lincolnshire 9 0.23x
Wiltshire 9 0.41x
Hertfordshire 8 0.47x
Flintshire 7 1.05x
Stirlingshire 7 0.76x
Devon 5 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.63x
Somerset 3 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.12x
Isle of Man 2 0.43x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.22x
Northumberland 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ilkeston in Derbyshire leads with 213 Henshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 194.93x.

Place Total Index
Ilkeston 213 194.93x
Manchester 62 4.67x
Salford 60 6.91x
Ashton Under Lyne 53 8.21x
Liverpool 53 2.95x
Macclesfield 46 18.83x
Nottingham St Mary 40 4.61x
Everton 37 3.93x
Pendleton In Salford 36 10.23x
Aston 31 1.79x
West Derby 31 3.59x
Worsley 31 17.02x
St Pancras London 30 1.50x
Leicester St Margaret 29 4.31x
Hulme 27 4.38x
Barton Upon Irwell 24 10.79x
Greasley 24 31.70x
Chorley In Macclesfield 23 137.40x
Heaton Norris 22 13.08x
Heanor 21 36.03x
Warrington 21 6.00x
Birmingham 19 0.91x
Toxteth Park 19 1.90x
Llanelly 18 7.62x
Lowton 18 89.60x
Oving 18 126.94x
Stockport 18 6.36x
Islington London 17 0.70x
Liscard 17 17.17x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 17 14.83x
Staveley 17 24.57x
Church Hulme 15 266.43x
Eastwood 15 50.00x
Leek Lowe 15 13.42x
Oldham 15 1.57x
Radford 15 8.80x
Wednesfield 15 12.13x
Chesterfield 14 9.58x
Bishopwearmouth 13 2.04x
Hyde 13 8.02x
Shoreditch London 13 1.20x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 2.56x
Lambley 12 175.18x
Newcastle Under Lyme 12 8.07x
Newton 12 5.27x
Newton In Ashton Under 12 22.13x
Withington 12 12.61x
Atherton 11 10.23x
Chester St Oswald 11 11.05x
Great Little Preston 11 155.59x
Lambeth 11 0.51x
Leeds 11 0.79x
Shadwell London 11 15.79x
Wardleworth 11 6.52x
Bromley London 10 1.83x
Cheadle 10 9.53x
Codnor Park 10 109.41x
Hornsey 10 3.18x
Puddington 10 740.74x
Rocester 10 96.06x
Shipley 10 162.07x
Stretton 10 502.51x
West Ham 10 0.92x
Bagworth 9 174.76x
Crich 9 35.38x
Higher Bebington 9 25.58x
Lenton 9 11.39x
Ockbrook 9 54.38x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 9 14.24x
Sheffield 9 1.15x
Stapleton 9 9.72x
Syston 9 34.83x
Trowbridge 9 9.25x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 9 10.58x
Wem 9 28.13x
Accrington 8 2.98x
Brimington 8 27.03x
Farnworth 8 4.52x
Rotherhithe 8 2.60x
Tonge With Haulgh 8 13.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 201
Elizabeth 124
Sarah 88
Ann 61
Jane 53
Eliza 52
Annie 48
Hannah 44
Alice 40
Emma 36
Martha 33
Ellen 31
Emily 29
Fanny 26
Margaret 26
Harriet 18
Caroline 13
Florence 13
Louisa 13
Maria 12
Ada 11
Catherine 11
Charlotte 11
Edith 10
Kate 9
Sophia 9
Clara 8
Esther 8
Frances 8
Ruth 8
Lucy 7
Rachel 7
Amy 6
Harriett 6
Helen 5
Isabella 5
Matilda 5
Rose 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Julia 4
Lily 4
Millicent 4
Rebecca 4
Selina 4
Anna 3
Blanche 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 176
John 161
Thomas 96
James 84
George 77
Joseph 54
Henry 52
Samuel 44
Charles 41
Alfred 29
Arthur 28
Richard 21
Albert 18
Edward 18
Robert 18
Wm. 13
Daniel 12
Frederick 11
Peter 11
Herbert 10
David 9
Harry 8
Walter 8
Francis 7
Fred 7
Isaac 7
Abraham 6
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Amos 4
Elijah 4
Geo. 4
Saml. 4
Stephen 4
Chas. 3
Edgar 3
Enoch 3
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Jas. 3
Joshua 3
Reuben 3
Willm. 3
Clinton 2
Fredk.H. 2
Nathaniel 2
Owen 2
Percy 2
Zachariah 2

FAQ

Henshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Henshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,549 people were recorded with the Henshaw surname. That placed it at #1,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Henshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,771 in 2016. That gives Henshaw a modern rank of #1,794.

What does the Henshaw surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by or worked at a hen-roost or hen-house.

What does the Henshaw map show?

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