History of your Surname
Get access to Henry family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Henry Family History

Henry Surname Meaning

English French Walloon and West Indian (mainly Jamaica and Haiti): from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements haim heim ‘home’ + rīc ‘power ruler’ introduced to England by the Normans in the form Henri. During the Middle Ages this name became enormously popular in England and was borne by eight kings. Continental forms of the personal name were equally popular throughout Europe. In the period in which the majority of English surnames were formed a common English vernacular form of the name was Harry hence the surnames Harris (southern) and Harrison (northern). Official documents of the period normally used the Latinized form Henricus. In medieval times English Henry absorbed an originally distinct Old English personal name that had hagan ‘hawthorn’ (compare Hain ) as its first element and there has also been confusion with Amery. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. German Heinrich and also their derivatives e.g. Swedish Henriksson (see Henrikson ). Compare Henri . Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hInnéirghe ‘descendant of Innéirghe’ a byname based on éirghe ‘arising’. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Éinrí or Mac Einri patronymics from the personal names Éinrí Einri Irish forms of Henry. It is also found as a variant of McEnery . Americanized form of various like-sounding Jewish surnames.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Merry, Terry, Berry, Hendry, Hendy, Heery, Denny, Penry, Henny, Keary

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Henry family from?

You can see how Henry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Henry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Henry families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 450 Henry families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 21% of all the recorded Henry's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Henry families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Henry surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Henry ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Henry. 17% of Henry men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Henry women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Henry were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Henry | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Henry family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 969,000 census records available for the last name Henry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Henry census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Henry

Passenger Lists

There are 148,000 immigration records available for the last name Henry. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Henry immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 199,000 military records available for the last name Henry. For the veterans among your Henry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Henry military records

You've only scratched the surface of Henry family history

Discover More

What is the average Henry lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Henry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1940. The average life expectancy for Henry in 1940 was 81, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Henry

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Henry family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Henry last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial