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Henderson Family History

Henderson Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: usually from Middle English and Older Scots Hener(i)son ‘Henry's son’ occasionally from Middle English Hendeson ‘son of Hen’ a pet form of Henry both with an intrusive -d-. Compare Hendrie . In Scotland Henderson was sometimes substituted for McKendrick .

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


Similar surnames: Enderson, Anderson, Sanderson, Fenderson, Ingerson, Mendelson

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Henderson family from?

You can see how Henderson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Henderson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Henderson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 260 Henderson families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 11% of all the recorded Henderson's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Henderson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Henderson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Henderson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Henderson. 18% of Henderson men worked as a Laborer and 10% of Henderson women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Henderson were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Henderson | 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
    18%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    10%
  • Cook
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Henderson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Henderson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Henderson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Henderson

Passenger Lists

There are 210,000 immigration records available for the last name Henderson. 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 Henderson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 225,000 military records available for the last name Henderson. For the veterans among your Henderson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Henderson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Henderson family history

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What is the average Henderson lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Henderson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Henderson in 1941 was 37, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Henderson

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