Henning
A surname that most likely began as a pet form of Henry, with related spellings like Hemming and Hanning.
The #2,199 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,647 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Henning is commonly explained as a short form or pet form of the personal name Henry, which itself comes from the Germanic name element meaning roughly “home ruler.” In German and Scandinavian usage, Henning also appears as an old given name, so the surname can be patronymic: “son of Henning.” The historical material also shows close overlap with forms such as Hemming and Hanning, so some family lines may reflect local spelling variation rather than a single fixed root.
History
The name is found early in German and North European records as a personal name, and later became hereditary as surnames stabilized. In English sources, Bardsley notes confusion and interchange between Henning and Hemming, showing that medieval and early modern spellings could shift easily. The surname is still especially associated with Germanic and Scandinavian families, though it is also established in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname scholars explicitly remarked that Henning and Hemming were often confused in old records, which makes the family history of the name especially tricky to trace.
From the historical record
“V for m, and vice versa. Cf. Sinkinson for Simkinson (Simon), Grinstead for Grimstead (the homestead of Grim), Sunter for Sumpter; cf. Henning and Hemming (v. Henning), vice versa; cf. Stimpson for Stinson (Stevenson), or Hempstock for Henstock. An instance may be given where Sandbach is turned into Sambach : 1677.…”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances