Hensleigh
The name refers to an enclosed meadow where poultry was kept.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 137 Americans carry the last name Hensleigh. That puts it at #131,379 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,501,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hensleigh 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
137
1 in 2,501,856
Census rank
#131,379
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
129
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 129 bearers of the surname Hensleigh in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 131379th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hensleigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hensleigh
The surname Hensleigh has its origins in England, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the village of Hensley in Staffordshire. This village's name is thought to come from the Old English words "henn" meaning "hen" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hensleigh appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1673, where a John Hensleigh is listed as a taxpayer in the village of Hensley. The name is also found in various parish records from the 17th and 18th centuries, with variations in spelling such as Hensly, Hensley, and Hensleigh.
A notable figure bearing this surname was Sir John Hensleigh (1599-1678), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the reign of Charles I. Another prominent individual was Robert Hensleigh (1735-1811), a British admiral who played a significant role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
In the literary world, Ralph Hensleigh Inglis (1786-1857) was a British writer and clergyman who authored several works on theology and religion. Additionally, Walter Hensleigh Allen (1856-1942) was an English linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of phonetics and the history of the English language.
The surname Hensleigh can also be found in historical records from the United States, where it was likely brought by English immigrants in the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable American with this surname was John Hensleigh (1790-1862), a lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois in the 1830s.
While the surname Hensleigh is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, its history can be traced back several centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the English countryside and its bearers leaving their mark in various fields, from politics and military service to literature and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hensleigh
Among Census respondents with the surname Hensleigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%.
The bar chart below shows how Hensleigh 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 Hensleigh surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.1%
- Unknown or suppressed3.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Hensleigh 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 | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #112,365 | #131,379 | -16.9% |
| Count | 145 | 129 | -11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Hensleigh bearers went from 145 to 129 (-11.0% change). The surname moved down 19,014 positions in the national ranking, going from #112,365 to #131,379.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Hensleigh
FAQ
Hensleigh surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Hensleigh?
The surname Hensleigh holds position #131,379 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 137 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Hensleigh surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hensleigh, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. 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.