Surname Hens - Meaning and Origin
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Hens: What does the surname Hens mean?
The last name Hens is a topographical name originating from the Dutch language meaning “at the hens”. This form of the name was often given to people who lived near a house where chickens or hens were kept. The Dutch word “hen” itself derived from the Middle Dutch word “henne” (hen) and is believed to have been an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “of the birds” or “by the birds”.
The surname Hens was likely first established in the Netherlands and later spread to the United Kingdom, particularly into England and Scotland. Records show that early manifestations of the surname were recorded as Hennese, Hene, Hepns and Henne. For example, one Ellis Henese was recorded in the "The Register of Freemen of the City of York" in 1401.
In addition, records from the 15th century indicate that people with the last name Hens emigrated to the United States of America from the Netherlands. Since then, the surname has become widespread throughout the world. In addition, the surname Hens has also been sourced as a Dutch Jewish name.
Due to its Dutch origins, the surname Hens is believed to have been derived from the Dutch word “hensen”, meaning “the house of the hens”. This suggests that a person with this surname may have lived near a house where chickens were kept. Hence, the name Hens may represent a house situated near the hens.
In conclusion, the last name Hens is a topographical surname derived from the Dutch language meaning “at the hens”. The name is believed to have been given to those living near a house or farm where chickens were kept.
Order DNA origin analysisHens: Where does the name Hens come from?
The surname Hens is most common in Europe today and is most frequently found in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It has been documented as a surname in European records since the 13th century and is thought to have derived from the medieval personal name Henno. The surname is the patronymic form, which means it is derived from the father's first name.
Germany is home to the largest concentration of people who bear the last name Hens, with nearly one-quarter of its entire population bearing the name. It is also the second-most-common last name in Austria. Additional countries with notable numbers of people bearing the surname include Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark.
Outside of Europe, Hens is most likely to be found among people of German heritage in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, as well as among those who immigrated to the US in the 19th or 20th century. While it is not as common as it is in Europe, the surname Hens is still regularly seen in these countries.
Variations of the surname Hens
The surname "Hens" has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Henz, Hense, Henes, Henze, Henke, Henk, Hiro, Hauck, Hack, Hons, Henderson, Henson, Henrich, Hendricks, Hendrick, Henneberg, Henlein, Henninger, Hennig and more.
This surname is of Germanic and English origin, and is believed to have derived from the common given name Hendrick, which is derived from the name Henry or Heinrich, both of which mean well educated ruler. The name is also believed to have been derived from the Old High German personal name "Hainric".
It is believed to have been first used by the Anglo-Saxons in England, and was widely used in Scotland. In somecases, the spelling of the surname may have been changed due to regional accents or dialects.
Various spelling variations are evident due to its gradual changes throughout history. It has been documented in several different forms, such as Hains, Hanse, Hanse, Hense, Henc, Hense, Henk, Henne, Henze, Henze, Henri, Hense, Henk, Henks, Denver, Henneberg, Henneberger, Henneburg, Henneguor, Henneke, Hennekat, Henneke, Henkel, Henlich, and many others.
Overall, the diversity of the surname's variant spellings reflects the diversity of its origins and its changing development throughout cultures, geographical and linguistic boundaries.
Famous people with the name Hens
- Archie Hens: young adult author, known for the popular light fantasy book series “Away from Orbonne”
- Peter Hens: North American historian, specializing on the history of the North America’s western states
- David Hens: former professional golfer from Ireland, currently a golf broadcaster
- John Hens: British director and screenwriter, known for the 2016 drama film “The Tide”
- Bill Hens: former American politician, former Speaker of the Arizona State House of Representatives
- Joris Hens: dutch actor, best known for his roles in the popular historical series “Baroque”
- Stephanie Hens: Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her alt-country style
- Emily Hens: British fashion designer, specializing on couture-style womenswear
- Amelia Hens: American painter, known for her abstract landscape series “The Infinite Sky”
- Martin Hens: well-known German sculptor, known for his large-scale abstract sculptures.