2000
#14,503
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,884
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.70
Rare Last name
Henslee
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "Helm's wood or clearing."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,162 Americans carry the last name Henslee. That puts it at #15,044 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 158,536 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Henslee surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
2.2K
1 in 158,536
Census rank
#15,044
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,885 bearers of the surname Henslee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15044th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Henslee, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Henslee
The surname HENSLEE has its roots in medieval England, originating from a locational name derived from a small village or hamlet. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "henn," meaning chicken or hen, and "leah," meaning a meadow or woodland clearing. This suggests that the original bearers of this surname may have lived near or worked in an area associated with raising chickens or poultry.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Heneslei," referring to a settlement in Hertfordshire. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman conquest of England.
Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Hensley, Hensleigh, and Henzley, reflecting the regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during that period. It is worth noting that some variations of the name may have derived from different root words or locations, further contributing to its diversity.
Historically, notable individuals bearing the HENSLEE surname include Sir Robert Henslee (1580-1652), a prominent English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. Another notable figure was William Henslee (1692-1772), a renowned clockmaker from Gloucestershire, whose intricate timepieces were highly regarded in his time.
In the 18th century, John Henslee (1725-1798) was a respected merchant and ship owner from Bristol, known for his extensive trade networks across the Atlantic. His son, Thomas Henslee (1760-1832), followed in his footsteps and became a successful businessman and philanthropist, contributing significantly to the development of his local community.
In more recent times, the HENSLEE surname has been associated with notable individuals such as Elizabeth Henslee (1885-1968), an American educator and activist who played a pivotal role in advancing women's rights and advocating for educational reforms in the early 20th century.
While the HENSLEE surname may not be among the most common surnames today, its rich history and origins can be traced back to the medieval era, reflecting the diverse cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped the English language and its naming traditions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Henslee
Among Census respondents with the surname Henslee, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Henslee bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Henslee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6% · 1,670
- Two or more races5.3% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 63
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 29
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 15
- Black or African American0.4% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Henslee
Henslee appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#15,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,938
+54 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 698 places
2020
#15,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,885
-53 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Up 157 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,503 | 1,884 | 0.70 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,201 | 1,938 | 0.66 | +54 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 698 places |
| 2020 | #15,044 | 1,885 | 0.63 | -53 bearers (-2.7%) | Up 157 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Henslee surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,201 | #15,044 | 1.0% |
| Count | 1,938 | 1,885 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.63 | -4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Henslee bearers went from 1,938 to 1,885 (-2.7% change). The surname moved up 157 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,201 to #15,044.
FAQ
Henslee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Henslee?
Name Census estimates that about 2,162 living Americans carry the surname Henslee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 158,536 residents.
How common is Henslee?
Henslee ranks #15,044 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,885 people with the surname Henslee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,162), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Henslee.
Has Henslee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Henslee went from 1,938 recorded bearers to 1,885. That is a decrease of 53 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,201 to #15,044.
What does the Census say about the background of Henslee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Henslee, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Henslee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.6% (1,670 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Henslee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.6%), Two or More Races (5.3%), Hispanic (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Henslee (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Henslee mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "Helm's wood or clearing." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Henslee (0.63 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Henslee?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.