2000
#669
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 46,609
First available Census row
Per 100,000 17.28
Uncommon Last name
Henson
Derived from the Old English "henn," referring to a keeper of domestic fowl or poultry.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 52,497 Americans carry the last name Henson. That puts it at #741 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 15.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 6,529 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Henson 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Henson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
52K
1 in 6,529
Census rank
#741
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
15.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
46K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 45,780 bearers of the surname Henson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 15.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 741st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Henson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Henson
The surname HENSON is of English origin, deriving from the medieval given name Hen, a diminutive form of Henry. It emerged in the 13th century as a patronymic surname, indicating "son of Hen." The name can be traced back to areas such as Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the late 13th century, with references found in various historical documents. For example, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275 mention a Richard Henesonessone, while the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279 include a Thomas Henson.
The surname HENSON has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Henson (c.1430-1499), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1471.
Another significant figure was Reverend Herbert Hensley Henson (1863-1947), an English priest and scholar who served as the Bishop of Durham from 1920 to 1939. He was a renowned theologian and author of numerous works, including "Christian Liberty" and "The Cross and the Crown."
In the world of literature, Joanna Henson (born 1953) is a British author and poet, known for her works such as "The Tinderbox Tales" and "The Aesop Secret." She has received several awards and accolades for her contributions to children's literature.
In the field of aviation, Matthew Henson (1866-1955) was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on several expeditions to the Arctic, including the famous journey to the North Pole in 1909. He was one of the first individuals to reach the geographic North Pole.
Another notable figure was Jim Henson (1936-1990), the renowned American puppeteer, artist, and filmmaker. He was the creator of the Muppets and the founder of the Jim Henson Company. His work had a profound impact on the entertainment industry and brought joy to millions of children and adults around the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Henson
Among Census respondents with the surname Henson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Henson 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 Henson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.4% · 35,900
- Black or African American10.5% · 4,807
- Two or more races5.0% · 2,301
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 1,608
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 613
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 551
Timeline
Historical Census data for Henson
Henson 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
#728
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 48,013
+1,404 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 16.28
Rank movement Down 59 places
2020
#741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 45,780
-2,233 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 15.32
Rank movement Down 13 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #669 | 46,609 | 17.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #728 | 48,013 | 16.28 | +1,404 bearers (+3.0%) | Down 59 places |
| 2020 | #741 | 45,780 | 15.32 | -2,233 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 13 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 Henson 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 | #728 | #741 | -1.8% |
| Count | 48,013 | 45,780 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 16.28 | 15.32 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Henson bearers went from 48,013 to 45,780 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 13 positions in the national ranking, going from #728 to #741.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Henson
FAQ
Henson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Henson?
Name Census estimates that about 52,497 living Americans carry the surname Henson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 6,529 residents.
How common is Henson?
Henson ranks #741 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 15.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 15 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 45,780 people with the surname Henson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (52,497), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 15.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 15.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 15 of them to have the surname Henson.
Has Henson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Henson went from 48,013 recorded bearers to 45,780. That is a decrease of 2,233 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #728 to #741.
What does the Census say about the background of Henson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Henson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Henson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.4% (35,900 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Henson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.4%), Black (10.5%), Two or More Races (5.0%). 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 Henson (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 Henson mean?
Derived from the Old English "henn," referring to a keeper of domestic fowl or poultry. 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 Henson (15.32 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 are called Henson?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Henson is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.