Surname Variations

The Henderson surname — meaning “Sons of Henry” (MacEanruig) — has taken many forms across centuries and regions. If you bear any of these surnames, you may have Henderson ancestry.

From The Surnames of Scotland by George F. Black, page 353 — the standard genealogical reference work describing the story of Scottish names throughout history. Published by The New York Public Library, 1946.

• Henderson was derived from Henryson
• Liddesdale Hendersons held lands in Liddesdale in the Scottish Borders
• Fordell Hendersons derived from Dumfriesshire Henrysons
• Caithness Hendersons branched off of Clan Gunn; were once MacHendrie
• Glencoe Hendersons derived from the Gaelic MacEanruig. Two versions suggest descent from Eanruig Mor Mac Righ Neachtan (“Big Henry, son of King Nectan,” a Pictish king of ~700 AD), or from Dughall MacEanruig (~1300)
• Surname Henry etc.: largely from Ayr and Fife
• Surname Henryson etc.: earliest found in Aberdeen, 1300s

Henderson is the most common surname for the sons of Henry, but is far from being the only name. Below are the known variations found across Scotland, Ireland, and the diaspora:

Gaelic Forms

• MacEanruig (pronounced “Mac-IAN-Rick”) — the original Gaelic form meaning “Son of Henry”
• MacEnrick
• MacCanrig / MacCanrik
• MacKanrig
• Eanrig / Eanruig

Mac- / Mc- Variations

• MacHendric / MacHendrie / MacHendry
• MacHenrie / MacHenrik / MacHenry
• MacKendric / MacKendrich / MacKendrick
• MacKendrie / MacKendrig / MacKendry
• MacKenrick
• Makanry / Makhenry
• McHenry
• McKendree / McKendrick / McKendry

Henderson / Henryson Variations

• Henderson / Hendersone / Hendersonne
• Hendersoun / Hendersoune
• Hendirsone / Hendirsoune
• Hendrisoune
• Henders
• Hendery / Hendrie / Hendry
• Henersoun / Hennersoune
• Hennryson
• Henresoun / Henreysoun
• Henriesoun / Henrison / Henrisone
• Henrisoun / Henrisoune
• Henry
• Henryesson / Henryson / Henrysoun
• Enderson / Endherson / Endirsone

Other Forms

• Kendrick / Kenrick — Anglicised form
• D’Handresson — French form
• Hendrix — Dutch/German influenced form
• Hendron

Membership in the Clan Henderson Society is open to anyone bearing these surnames or anyone who supports the Society’s objectives of promoting Scottish heritage and Henderson family connections.