Surname Hennekens - Meaning and Origin
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Hennekens: What does the surname Hennekens mean?
The last name Hennekens is of Dutch origin, coming from the German word "Hennig", which means "mountain/heights" or "chieftain". It is believed that the name originated during the Middle Ages in the Netherlands, and it is likely derived from the Germanic personal name Hainric, itself derived from hagan (enclosure) and ric (power/ruler).
The name is believed to have originally been a title of nobility, given to local people as a sign of respect or reward for their service. It would later be associated with power and status, and be given as a last name to a family or group of people. In time, the Hennekens name spread throughout Europe, coming to England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and other countries.
Today, the Hennekens surname can be found throughout Europe, and it is believed to be one of the oldest Dutch surnames. It is also sometimes spelled as Hennekan, Henkan, Henken, Henkens, Hnekens, and Henekens.
Some people bearing the last name Hennekens achieved fame or notoriety, including several German athletes, a Dutch psychologist, a Dutch journalist, a Dutch politician, and a Belgian businessman. The most famous person with the surname Hennekens is Doctor Charles Hennekens, an American physician who was the first researcher to prove the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
Order DNA origin analysisHennekens: Where does the name Hennekens come from?
The last name Hennekens is most commonly found today in the Netherlands, where records have indicated its presence since at least the 1600s. It has been seen all over the Netherlands, but is especially common in the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg. In North Brabant, the Hennekens name is most frequently found in the southern municipality Valkenswaard, and in Limburg the most common place of residence for those with the name Hennekens is the city of Roermond.
The Hennekens name has spread to neighbouring countries due to emigration over the centuries, notably to Germany and Belgium. It is also occasionally found in Switzerland and Denmark. In more recent years, people with the surname Hennekens have moved further afield, notably to Australia, Argentina, the United States, and Canada, where a small but now established population of Dutch-descendants with the name Hennekens now reside.
The Hennekens family name has a long history in the Netherlands, but its story stretches much further back than the 1600s. As far back as the 12th century, records have been found of the family, with the first recorded mention of the name appearing in a document written in Limburg in 1148. A document dated back to 1239 even refers to the Hennekens family as having owned an estate in the nearby town of Weert.
Overall, the last name Hennekens is most commonly found in the Netherlands today, but it is becoming more widespread in other countries both historically and in recent decades due to migration and emigration.
Variations of the surname Hennekens
The surname Hennekens is an Dutch patronymic surname thought to be derived from either the first name of Henneke, or from the Middle Dutch "enekin" which means "little one". This surname has many common variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Variants
Henekens, Hennekin, Hennekyn, Hennekins, Hennecke, Hennecken, Hennecke, Hennicke, Hendricke, Hennig, and Heenecken.
Common spellings
Henecken, Henneken, Hennekenn, Hennekens, Hennekenss & Hennekensz.
Surnames of the same origin
Hencke, Hencken, Henckel, Henckens, Henckenbrock, Henckell, Henckle, Hencklin, Henckman, Hencmann, Hendrick, Hendriks, Hendrix, Henecke, Henegar, Henegouwen, Henekom, Henekopl, Henessey, Henessy, Henicke, Henick, Henigen, Henke, Henkel, Henken, Henk, Henkenberg, Henkenberry, Henkin, Henkle, Henks, Henlas, Henle, Henly, Henn, Hennel, Henneman, Hennen, Henning, Henninger, Hennings, Henningsen, Hennink, Henningson, Hennig, Henniger, Hennin, Hennis, Hennigar, Hennrick, Hennricke, Hennrickel, Henny, Hensche, Hensel, Henseler, Henselman, Hensen, Hensen, Hensler, Henson, Henden, Hendsbee, Hendy, Henzecke, and Henzman.
As is common with many surnames, Hennekens was likely to have had multiple spellings between different countries and languages. From the Middle Dutch and Germanic roots and with the continual migration of people, the spelling and the variants listed above were readily adopted to suit the language of the times.
Famous people with the name Hennekens
- Dr. Charles Hennekens: Dr. Charles Hennekens is a physician, epidemiologist, and the first Sir Harold Delf Gillies Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has contributed significantly to the medical world, notably co-initiating the Physicians’ Health Study, the most successful primary prevention trial to date.
- Ed Hennekens: Ed Hennekens is an American broadcast journalist best known as a NFL analyst for Fox Sports. He also worked as a presenter for the Pac-10 network and was a sideline reporter for the NFL Network for the New Orleans Saints games.
- Jake Hennekens: Jake Hennekens is an American professional basketball player playing for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA. He was the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
- Chris Hennekens: Chris Hennekens is an American author and certified family nurse practitioner, best known as a writer and commentator on health care and health related matters. He has written several books on health-related topics and has appeared as a guest on numerous radio and television programs talking about the latest health issues.
- Rob Hennekens: Rob Hennekens is a retired Dutch professional football player who is most remembered for his time at Feyenoord ROTTERDAM from 1970 to 1983. He is still part of the Feyenoord family, regularly attending matches.