Hensley
A surname most likely meaning “from Hensley,” originally a place-based name.
The #668 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 6,044 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hensley is generally understood as a locational surname, referring to someone who came from a place called Hensley or a similarly named settlement. The first element is probably an old personal or place-name element, while the second is the common Old English place-name ending -ley, meaning a clearing, meadow, or woodland clearing. Because the historical excerpts only say “local, of Hensley,” the precise early form is not fully spelled out here, but the name plainly belongs to the common English class of surnames taken from a home village or estate.
History
Bardsley’s 19th-century surname notes treat Hensley as a local surname, meaning it was used for someone identified by origin rather than by occupation or appearance. The name is established in England and later became more common in the United States, where it is now well represented. As with many locational surnames, the spelling has remained fairly stable, though related records can show minor variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -ley is one of the most common clues that an English surname began as a place-name, usually pointing to a clearing or meadow.
From the historical record
“MDB.(«>.0>aler).l. i3,o. Hensloy.—Local, 'of Hensley.' London, a ; MDB. (co. Cuabridic), a. Hensmao, Hlnxman, Hlnokaman, Hinkaman,”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances