# Henson (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/henson/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 48,013 |
| US rank (2010) | 728 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 6,430 people |
| Change since 2000 | +3.0% (46,609 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɛn.sən/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

From Henry + -son.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Henson in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 82% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 11% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.4% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.5% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Henson in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

## People named Henson

- Jim Henson, American puppeteer (1936–1990)
- Taraji P. Henson, American actress (born 1970)
- Elden Henson, American actor
- Matthew Henson, American explorer (1866–1955)
- John Henson, American basketball player (born 1990)
- Brian Henson, American puppeteer
- Josiah Henson, author, abolitionist, and minister; born into slavery, in Port Tobacco, Charles Co., Maryl
- Jane Henson, American puppeteer (1934–2013)
- John Henson, American puppeteer (1965-2014)
- Bill Henson, Australian photographer (born 1955)
- Nicky Henson, British actor (1945-2019)
- John Henson, American actor

and 2 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Hanson, Hinson, Hensen, Hynson, Hinkson, Hansen, Hankins, Hannigan, Hunsinger, Hennigan, Hankinson, Hanscom.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.