Henderson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Henderson

What does the name Henderson mean?

The age-old Pictish-Scottish family name Henderson is derived from the personal name Hendry, which is a chiefly Scottish derivative of the name Henry. There were two main branches of the Henderson family, one at Glencoe, in the lower Highlands, and one at Caithness, in the extreme north of Scotland.

Early Origins of the Henderson family

The surname Henderson was first found in Caithness, Glencoe, the Shetland Islands, Liddlesdale, and Fordell. One origin claims the Henderson family descend from Great Henry, son of King Nechtan, who was also the progenitor of the MacDonalds of Glencoe. However, the branch of the Henderson to whom this story relates also claim to have settled in the Glencoe territory many years before the Maclains or MacDonalds arrived there. This is consistent with the theory that this family are a branch of the northern family who moved south and became attached to the MacDonalds.

Generally noted as great fighters, they became bodyguards of the Chief of the MacDonalds. They were also the hereditary pipers of that Clan, sometimes referred to as the Maclains.

Later, in about 1530, there emerged another section of the Henderson Clan in the Border country of Liddesdale but the connection between this group and the main Clan is somewhat tenuous. However, it is known that many of the Highland Clans were invited, coerced or transported, sometimes as a whole sometimes as a branch, to the border country to provide better defenses against English attacks along the Border.

Early History of the Henderson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Henderson research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1430, 1460, 1494, 1500, 1506, 1510, 1511, 1583, 1590, 1600, 1606, 1618, 1638, 1646, 1692 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Henderson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Henderson Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Henderson has appeared Henderson, Henreyson, Henryson, MacKendrick and many more.

Early Notables of the Henderson family

James Henderson, of the Fordell line, who became Lord Advocate of Scotland in 1494
Perhaps the greatest Henderson of all was Alexander Henderson (c.1583-1646) of Fife, minister of Leuchars, who attended of St. Andrews University. In 1638, he drafted the National Covenant of Scotland...
Sir Thomas Henryson or Henderson Lord Chesters (d. 1638), was a Scottish judge. Before 1600 he was one of the commissioners of Edinburgh, and was advocate-depute in certain processes of forfeiture bef...

Henderson World Ranking

the United States, the name Henderson is the 81^st most popular surname with an estimated 236,265 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Henderson is ranked the 143^rd most popular surname with an estimated 23,218 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Henderson is the 99^th popular surname with an estimated 25,950 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Henderson as 62^nd with 4,993 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Henderson as 111^st with 43,537 people. 5

Migration of the Henderson family to Ireland

Some of the Henderson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 129 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Henderson migration to the United States +

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and Clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Henderson:

Henderson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Henderson, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1607 6
Alex Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1650 6
Gilbert Henderson, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 6
John Henderson, who arrived in Maryland in 1655 6
Henrick Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1657 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1704 6
John Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1705 6
Jacob Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1710 6
Charles Henderson, who was banished to Virginia in 1716
Robert Henderson, who landed in Maryland in 1716 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Henderson, who landed in America in 1800 6
Samuel Henderson, who landed in Virginia in 1800 6
James Henderson, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 6
David Henderson, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 6
Ann Henderson, aged 8, who arrived in New Castle or Philadelphia in 1804 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Hamilton McKennie Henderson, who arrived in Alabama in 1917 6

Henderson migration to Canada +

Henderson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Charles Henderson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Nathaniel Henderson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
William Henderson, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Sarah Henderson, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Robert Henderson, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

George Henderson, who arrived in Canada in 1817
John Henderson, who arrived in Canada in 1820
Charlotte Henderson, aged 13, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Nancy" in 1834
Henry Henderson, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Nancy" in 1834
Ann Jane Henderson, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Nancy" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Third Fleet

Mr. Robert Henderson, British seaman on the Navy support ship for the First Fleet the "HMS Sirius" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788

Following the Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Henderson Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. James Henderson, English convict who was convicted in Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. William Henderson, (b. 1778), aged 19, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7

Henderson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Allan Henderson, Scottish settler who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fortune And Alexander" on 31st December 1805, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. James Henderson, Scottish convict who was convicted in Aberdeen, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. Samuel Henderson, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 20th May 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mrs. Mary Henderson, (b. 1804), aged 25, Irish dairy maid who was convicted in Fermanagh, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Joseph Henderson, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Dunvegan Castle" on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Henderson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Maxwell Henderson, aged 29, a blacksmith, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Catherine Henderson, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
David Henderson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Thomas Henderson, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
William Henderson, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Henderson migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 13

Henderson Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Francis and William Henderson, who arrived in Barbados in 1680

Contemporary Notables of the name Henderson (post 1700) +

Donald Ainslie "D. A." Henderson (1928-2016), American physician, educator, and epidemiologist, best known for his tireless effort to eradicate smallpox for which he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2002) and numerous other awards
Dale Henderson (1966-2025), American musician, known as the frontman and guitarist of the crossover thrash band Beowülf where he was the only constant member, composed the music and wrote the lyrics on all of Beowülf's albums
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (1958-2024), nicknamed "Man of Steal", an American Major League Baseball left fielder who played for 25 seasons for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009
Mike Henderson (1953-2023), American singer-songwriter
Cedric Henderson (1965-2023), American professional NBA basketball player who played from 1985 to 1995
Michael Henderson (1951-2022), American bass guitarist and vocalist, best known for his work with Miles Davis in the early 1970s
Hazel Henderson (1933-2022), English-born, American futurist and an economic iconoclast from Bristol, Gloucestershire who authored several books including Building a Win-Win World, Beyond Globalization, Planetary Citizenship, and Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy
Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952), American jazz and swing musician
Mario Henderson (1984-2020), American professional NFL football player who was an offensive tackle who played from 2007 to 2015
... (Another 285 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Henderson family +

Centaur

Leslie James Henderson (1912-1943), Australian Private who died aboard the ship "Centaur" an Australian hospital ship when torpedoed on 14th May 1943
Mr. George Henderson (1874-1914), Canadian First Class Passenger from Montreal, Quebec, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 14
Mrs. Jane Henderson (1881-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 15
Mr. Harry Henderson (1882-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 16
Mr. William Laurence Douglas Henderson (1920-1941), Australian Stoker from Mosman Park, Western Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 16
... (Another 16 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Henderson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sola virtus nobilitat
Motto Translation: Virtue alone ennobles.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp