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Henderson Name Meaning, Origins & History

Henderson

Pronunciation: HEN-der-sun

Meaning Son of Henry Origin surnames Gender Boy
BOYS RANK
#2,619
TREND
543
Peak Years
1918, 1920, 2022
Lowest Years
1903, 2004, 2006
Energy Archetype
Ambitious & Self-Sufficient

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of boys named Henderson in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Henderson

  • More than 4 thousand babies named Henderson: U.S. records list 4,292 babies given the name Henderson from 1880 through 2025.

What Does the Name Henderson Mean?

Henderson is a patronymic surname of Scots and northern English origin meaning "son of Henry," or more exactly "son of Hendry." It comes from the Middle English personal name Hendry, a northern form of Henry. Henry derives from Old French Henri, which comes from the Germanic name Haimric, formed from haim "home" and ric "ruler, power." The literal sense of the personal name is therefore "home ruler" or "ruler of the home," and the surname adds the common patronymic suffix -son. In parts of Gaelic-speaking Scotland, Henderson also served as an anglicized form of MacEanruig, "son of Henry"; that Gaelic name has a separate linguistic origin but the same meaning.

Henderson Name History & Origins

Henderson began as a hereditary surname rather than a given name. In medieval northern England and Scotland, Henry was often pronounced and written as Hendry or Hendrie. The addition of -son produced forms such as Hendryson and Hendrison, which settled into the spelling Henderson. This pattern was common in the north, where -son was the usual way to mark "son of," alongside the Norman Fitz- and the Gaelic Mac-.

In the Scottish Highlands, the same meaning was carried by the Gaelic name MacEanruig ("son of Henry"). As English and Scots became dominant in official records, Henderson was sometimes used as the anglicized form of that Gaelic name, so not every Henderson family descends from the same original bearer. The Hendersons of Fordell in Fife were a prominent Scottish family, and the chief of Clan Henderson is known as Henderson of Fordell. Henderson later passed into use as a masculine given name in the English-speaking world, a transferred surname rather than a traditional personal name.

The name also appears in literature as a surname, notably in Saul Bellow's 1959 novel Henderson the Rain King. That literary use reflects the established surname and does not account for the name's origin.

How Popular is the Name Henderson?

Henderson recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1918. Its best rank was #339 in 1882.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

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How the Name Henderson Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You attract success and money. You are a lover of nature and do not need others for your happiness. You are self sufficient. You strive for material success and power and have business sense. You possess strong organizational abilities, can be a good manager, and executive by nature. You are capable of great achievement in business and finance. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Henderson's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Henderson's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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