Hendersons History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Hendersons

What does the name Hendersons mean?

The age-old Pictish-Scottish family name Hendersons is derived from the personal name Hendry, which is a chiefly Scottish derivative of the name Henry. There were two main branches of the Hendersons family, one at Glencoe, in the lower Highlands, and one at Caithness, in the extreme north of Scotland.

Early Origins of the Hendersons family

The surname Hendersons was first found in Caithness, Glencoe, the Shetland Islands, Liddlesdale, and Fordell. One origin claims the Hendersons family descend from Great Henry, son of King Nechtan, who was also the progenitor of the MacDonalds of Glencoe. However, the branch of the Hendersons to whom this story relates also claim to have settled in the Glencoe territory many years before the Maclains or MacDonalds arrived there. This is consistent with the theory that this family are a branch of the northern family who moved south and became attached to the MacDonalds.

Generally noted as great fighters, they became bodyguards of the Chief of the MacDonalds. They were also the hereditary pipers of that Clan, sometimes referred to as the Maclains.

Later, in about 1530, there emerged another section of the Henderson Clan in the Border country of Liddesdale but the connection between this group and the main Clan is somewhat tenuous. However, it is known that many of the Highland Clans were invited, coerced or transported, sometimes as a whole sometimes as a branch, to the border country to provide better defenses against English attacks along the Border.

Early History of the Hendersons family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hendersons research. Another 200 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1420, 1430, 1460, 1494, 1500, 1506, 1510, 1511, 1583, 1590, 1600, 1606, 1618, 1638, 1646, 1692 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Hendersons History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hendersons Spelling Variations

In the Middle ages, spelling and translation were not yet regulated by any general rules. spelling variations in names were common even among members of one family unit. Hendersons has appeared Henderson, Henreyson, Henryson, MacKendrick and many more.

Early Notables of the Hendersons family

James Henderson, of the Fordell line, who became Lord Advocate of Scotland in 1494. Perhaps the greatest Henderson of all was Alexander Henderson (c.1583-1646) of Fife, minister of Leuchars, who attended of St. Andrews University. In 1638, he drafted the National Covenant of Scotland, and is generally considered the "2nd founder," after Knox, of the Presbyterian church in Scotland. Robert Henryson (1430?-1506?) was a poet who flourished in Scotland in the period c. 1460-1500. He was probably born between 1420 and 1430, but neither...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hendersons Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hendersons family to Ireland

Some of the Hendersons family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 129 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hendersons family

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 Hendersons: 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.

The Hendersons Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sola virtus nobilitat
Motto Translation: Virtue alone ennobles.