First found in Caithness, Glencoe, the Shetland Islands, Liddlesdale, and Fordell. It is undetermined where the name first arose. It may have arisen independently in a few places, while also branching between regions.

Faced by this persecution and the generally unstable political climate of those days, many Scots chose to leave their homeland for Ireland, Australia, and North America in search of greater opportunity and freedom. The colonies across the Atlantic were the most popular choice, but a passage there was neither cheap nor easily suffered. Passengers arrived sick and poor, but those who made it intact often found land and more tolerant societies in which to live. These brave settlers formed the backbone of the burgeoning nations of Canada and the United States. It is only this century that the ancestors of these families have begun to recover their collective identity through the patriotic highland games and clan societies that have sprung up throughout North America. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Henderson: Alex Henderson, who came to Virginia in 1650; Adry Henderson, who arrived in Virginia in 1669; Francis and William Henderson, who arrived in Barbados in 1680.

Motto Translated: Virtue alone ennobles.

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