Henriksen
Son of Henrik, a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname derived from the given name Henrik.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,393 Americans carry the last name Henriksen. That puts it at #10,851 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 101,018 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Henriksen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 101,018
Census rank
#10,851
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,935 bearers of the surname Henriksen in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10851st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Henriksen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Henriksen
The surname Henriksen is of Danish and Norwegian origin, derived from the personal name Henrik, a Scandinavian form of the German name Heinrich, meaning "ruler of the home." The suffix "-sen" is a patronymic, indicating "son of."
The name likely emerged in the Middle Ages when patronymic surnames became more widespread in Scandinavia. It would have initially referred to the son of a man named Henrik, denoting lineage and family ties.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1601 Danish Census, where a Hans Henriksen is listed as residing in Copenhagen. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 16th century in Denmark.
In Norway, the name can be traced back to the 17th century. A notable early bearer was Niels Henriksen Lund (1609-1670), a Norwegian clergyman and bishop of the Diocese of Trondheim.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Henrichsen and Hendriksen, reflecting regional dialect differences or scribal variations.
Prominent individuals with the Henriksen surname include:
1. Olaus Henriksen Aaraas (1672-1759), a Norwegian farmer and politician who served as a representative in the Gulating assembly.
2. Hans Henriksen (1800-1881), a Danish painter known for his landscape and maritime works.
3. Sofie Henriksen (1847-1923), a Norwegian writer and advocate for women's rights and education.
4. Vilhelm Henriksen (1865-1945), a Danish author and playwright who wrote extensively about life in rural Denmark.
5. Ludvig Henriksen (1890-1952), a Norwegian military officer and recipient of the War Cross with Sword for his service during World War II.
The surname Henriksen has also been associated with various place names, particularly in Denmark and Norway, where localities or farms may have been named after early bearers of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Henriksen
Among Census respondents with the surname Henriksen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Henriksen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Henriksen surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9%
- Black or African American0.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Henriksen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,851 | #10,851 | 0.0% |
| Count | 2,935 | 2,935 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Henriksen bearers went from 2,935 to 2,935 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #10,851 to #10,851.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Henriksen
FAQ
Henriksen surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Henriksen?
The surname Henriksen holds position #10,851 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,393 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Henriksen surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Henriksen, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.