Find out how popular the last name Henry is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Henry.

Henry, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Henry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Henry in America

Henry is the 149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Henry surname appeared 170,964 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 58 people would have the surname Henry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Henry to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Henry

The surname HENRY originated in England and France during the Middle Ages, derived from the medieval personal name Henri. This name is ultimately derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, composed of the elements "heim" meaning "home" and "ric" meaning "power, ruler." The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 11th century in various forms, including Henri, Henric, and Henricus.

In England, the surname HENRY can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Norman settlers bearing the name arrived in the country. The Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England, includes several entries for individuals with the surname HENRY or its variants. One notable example is Robert Henric, recorded as a landholder in Hertfordshire.

The surname HENRY gained prominence in England during the reign of the Plantagenet dynasty, particularly under the reign of King Henry II (1133-1189), who was responsible for significant legal and administrative reforms. This association with royalty likely contributed to the surname's widespread adoption and distribution across various regions of England.

Some notable historical figures bearing the surname HENRY include:

1. William Henry (c. 1216-1272), a prominent English judge and legal scholar during the reign of Henry III.
2. Patrick Henry (1736-1799), an American orator and statesman, best known for his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech.
3. Joseph Henry (1797-1878), an American scientist renowned for his contributions to the field of electromagnetism and his role in the founding of the Smithsonian Institution.
4. O. Henry (1862-1910), the pen name of William Sydney Porter, an American writer known for his short stories with memorable twist endings.
5. Edward Henry (1828-1904), an English industrialist and manufacturer of matches, known for his innovative safety match design.

The surname HENRY has been associated with various place names throughout its history, such as Henryville in Indiana, named after the prominent Henry family in the area, and Henrico County in Virginia, named after Prince Henry, the son of King James I of England.

Overall, the surname HENRY has a rich history spanning multiple countries and centuries, reflecting its origins in medieval Europe and its subsequent spread and adoption across various regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Henry

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Henry.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Henry was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Henry has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Henry was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Henry, please contact us.

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