Hensell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Hensell surname lived in Henshaw in Northumberland, or in the settlement of Henshaw in Prestbury, which is in the county of Cheshire. [1]

Of the two, the Northumberland township is the oldest dating back to the 12th century when it was known as Hedeneshalch. [2]

Early Origins of the Hensell family

The surname Hensell was first found in Northumberland at Henshaw, a township, in the parish and union of Haltwhistle, W. division of Tindale ward. [3] The first record of the family was actually found in Cumberland (Cumbria) where Peter de Henschal was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1332. Later, Richard de Henneshagh was found in Cheshire in 1365. [4]

Henshaw Hall in the parish of Siddington in Cheshire East dates back to at least 1674. This two storey hall was once held by the Henshaw family, but is now a farmhouse.

Early History of the Hensell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hensell research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1608, 1614, 1618, 1621, 1624, 1628, 1631, 1635, 1639, 1663, 1673, 1679 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Hensell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hensell Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Hensell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Hensell include: Henshaw, Henshall, Henshawe and others.

Early Notables of the Hensell family

Notables of the family at this time include Nathaniel Henshaw (1628-c.1673) Original Fellow, Royal Society in May 5th, 1663. He was the younger son of Benjamin Henshaw, 'one of the captains of the city of London,' who died 4 Dec. 1631. [5]Joseph Henshaw (1608-1679), was Bishop of Peterborough from 1663 until his death. He was the son of Thomas Henshaw, solicitor-general of Ireland. His grandfather, William Henshaw of Worth in Sussex, was descended from an old Cheshire family, resident at Henshaw Hall, in the parish of Siddington, near Congleton. He was one of the...
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hensell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hensell migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Hensell or a variant listed above:

Hensell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jacob Hensell, who arrived in New York in 1709 [6]
Bernerd Hensell, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1728 [6]
Georg Henry Hensell, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 [6]
Peter Hensell, aged 22, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 [6]
Phillip Vendell Hensell, aged 52, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1748 [6]
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hensell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Hensell, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1875 [6]

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)