Henderson

Origine et histoire

Patronymic surname meaning 'son of Henry', from the Old High German 'Heimrich' — 'heim' (home) + 'ric' (power, ruler) — meaning 'ruler of the home' or 'home power'. The name was introduced to Scotland via Norman French after the twelfth century, where it took the '-son' patronymic suffix common in Scots usage. Clan Henderson (Gaelic 'Mac Eanruig', also 'son of Henry') was associated with Glencoe and is considered one of the oldest Highland clans, with a disputed claim to pre-date the MacDonalds in that glen. Henderson is most common in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and the northern counties.