Surname Hennigs - Meaning and Origin
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Hennigs: What does the surname Hennigs mean?
The last name Hennigs is of German origin and is derived from the Middle High German word "hans", which means to "enclose" or "enclosed land". It was most likely originally used to denote someone who lived on or near a small enclosed farmstead or estate. The suffix "-ing" was added to indicate that the person with this name is a descendant of a family that lived there.
Throughout history, the last name Hennigs has been found to be most common in northern Germany and some parts of Austria. Records show it to have been in existence as early as the 12th century. The earliest recorded family was a family of merchants who lived in the town of Heilbronn, Germany.
The reach of the name continued to expand during the High Middle Ages when Germanic families traveled to distant lands in search of a better life. This immigration spread the name to other nearby countries, such as Austria, Estonia, and the Czech Republic.
Today, the last name Hennigs is still very common in Germany and Austria and is becoming increasingly common in other parts of the world due to migration of Germanic people. It is not, however, a very common name in the United States. Those who do bear the last name Hennigs are very proud of their German heritage and often celebrate their Germanic culture and traditions.
Order DNA origin analysisHennigs: Where does the name Hennigs come from?
The surnames Hennigs is quite common in Germany, as well as other parts of Europe, including the UK, as many people of German descent live in those places. According to reports, the name is among the top 200 most common surnames in Germany, as it has been since medieval times. It is also very common in some parts of the US since it is one of the few German surnames that was not changed when immigrants to the US Anglicized their names.
Beyond Europe and the US, Hennigs is found in other parts of the world such as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia, where it is likely that descendants of German settlers to those countries have kept the name alive in their family.
Other parts of the world where the name Hennigs is common include Canada and Brazil, as well as small Caribbean islands. In Brazil, the name is usually spelled Hennig and includes different variants such as Hennigen or Henning. In the Caribbean, the name appears to be more commonly linked to Dutch Caribbean families, where it is spelled Henegs.
No matter where it is found, the surname Hennigs is a piece of heritage that many families around the world carry with pride. Hearing the name Hennigs brings to mind its German origins, enabling families and individuals to connect with their past and keep a beloved part of their heritage alive.
Variations of the surname Hennigs
The surname Hennigs is a German and Dutch name, with variations of spelling including; Hennige, Hennicke, Hennick, Hennicke, Henniges, Henneges, Henneke, Henning, and Hennecke. Hennigs is most likely derived from the German word "hahn," meaning rooster. This is supported by the fact that the Hennigs coat of arms prominently features a rooster.
In some cases, the surname may be derived from the Germanic given name "Henrico." This is evidenced by the German name "Henneko," which is a diminutive of "Henrico". This would explain why there are other alternative surnames, such as Henneke and Hennecke.
The variants might even be regionalized. In Germany, it is not uncommon to find "Handel," as an alternative. That would be the regionalized pronunciation of Hennig, as the two sounds are pronounced similarly. In the Netherlands, it is also not uncommon for the name to have an alternate spelling, as "Henneks," or "Hennegs," with the "g" being silent.
In some cases, the first recorded spelling of the surname Hennigs could also be an indication of regionalization. During medieval times, scribes would often record surnames phonetically, rather than using the correct spelling. Therefore, the same surname may have many different spellings, depending on the region in which it originated.
Given this fact, it stands to reason that there may be a great manyvariants of the surname Hennigs, in both spelling and surname origin.
Famous people with the name Hennigs
- Larry Henning: Larry Henning is an American country music singer and songwriter who released several hit songs in the 60s and 70s.
- Paul Hennig: Paul Hennig was a German actor best known for his roles in several popular German films such as Die Rückkehr der alten Liebe and Ein Tag der glühte.
- Brianne Hennig: Brianne Hennig is a Canadian female fencer who first made history at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, when she became the first Canadian female fencer ever to reach the finals.
- Ron Hennig: Ron Hennig was an American professional wrestler who wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance and the Global Wrestling Federation.
- Moran Hennig: Moran Hennig is an Israeli model and actress who is best known for appearing in campaigns for brands such as L'Oreal, Dolce & Gabbana, and Vogue.
- Johann Heinrich Hennig: Johann Heinrich Hennig was a German scientist and botanist who studied plant anatomy and was a pioneer in the field of modern taxonomy.
- Jude Hennig: Jude Hennig is an American recoding artist and songwriter who has made his mark as one of the most influential voices in the contemporary American folk music scene.
- Denise Hennig: Denise Hennig is a Paralympic athlete from Germany, who won a silver medal in the 2011 European Championships in the 400m wheelchair race.
- Ryan Hennig: Ryan Hennig is an American baseball coach at Northwest Christian University and previously coached at Cascade High School in Everett, Washington.
- Margherita Hennig: Margherita Hennig is a Brazilian singer and songwriter from São Paulo who has released several popular albums of Latin-infused music.