The Hennessey surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,357 people carried this name — #4,245 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 35,300 people counted. That is up 4% from 8,036 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Hennessey surname

Anglicized from Irish Ó hAonghusa (“descendant of Angus”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Hennessey» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In print

Hennessey in American newspapers,
1911–1912.

Newspaper page from St. Tammany Farmer carrying the name Hennessey
St. Tammany Farmer 1911-01-07
Newspaper page from St. Tammany Farmer carrying the name Hennessey
St. Tammany Farmer 1911-01-14
Newspaper page from The Washburn Times carrying the name Hennessey
The Washburn Times 1912-09-19

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 62,518 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hennessey in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

12,764 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hennessey. The most, 2,039, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,035
Queensland 3,542
Victoria 1,690
South Australia 1,073
Western Australia 947
Tasmania 430
ACT (Canberra) 32
Northern Territory 8

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hennessey.

Who carried it

People named Hennessey,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John F. Hennessey
    John F. Hennessey 1900–1981 · tennis player
  • John Hennessey 1829–1910 · surveyor
  • John David Hennessey 1847–1935 · journalist
  • James Hennessey 1862–1925
  • Les Hennessey 1893–1976 · baseball player
  • Frank Charles Hennessey 1894–1941 · painter

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hennessey,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,378 records

2,378 records of the Hennessey name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 842
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 588
  • Other U.S. records 948
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert C. Hennessey

    Born 1915 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1943 at Portland, Maine; hotel manager. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1988, buried at Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery, Augusta, Maine.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Annie Hennessey

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Arthur F. Hennessey

    Born 1940; from West Falmouth, Massachusetts. U.S. Army, utility helicopter repairer; killed in action 1965 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 2,378 records for Hennessey in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia395 records

395 records of the Hennessey name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 217
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 75
  • Other Australian records 103
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John Hennessey

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Royal Admiral, arriving 1833; ticket of leave 1857.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph Hennessey

    Arrived in Victoria in 1858 aboard the Royal Charter, aged 30; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Hennessey

    Hotel keeper of Carlton, Victoria; died 1889.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 395 records for Hennessey in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada239 records

239 records of the Hennessey name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 222
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 7
  • Other Canadian records 10
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Walter Hennessey

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 25; buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Matthew Hennessey

    Buried in 1967 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 24.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record William Alexander Hennessey

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 239 records for Hennessey in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom17 records

17 records of the Hennessey name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 8
  • Stirling Council burial records 8
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mabel Hennessey

    Died 1984, aged 58; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record John Hennessey

    Will proved in 1941; of Blk, Blk.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. Hennessey

    Lancashire Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 17 records for Hennessey in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand16 records

16 records of the Hennessey name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Hennessey

    Died 1912, aged 43; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Sadie Margaret Hennessey

    Died 1996, aged 85; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record David Hennessey

    Buried in 1970 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 90.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 16 records for Hennessey in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Hennessey name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Reginald Hennessey

    Married in 1946 in Tilburg.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Maria Elisabeth Hennessey

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1899 in 's-Gravenhage.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Norman Roland John Hennessey

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1907 in Londen.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

When the index is not enough

This page says where Hennessey is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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