Henning
Encyclopedia
The name Henning is indigenous to the North German
areas Mecklenburg
, Hannover, Hamburg
, Holstein
and Pommern. Especially the towns Stralsund
and Greifswald
, in Mecklenburg
, near the Baltic Sea
is well known as places where the name originated. Both towns formed part of Denmark
up until the Thirty Years' War
(1618 — 1648).
dialect a rooster was called a “Hen” (hen = male, henne = female). The Baltic
(or North German) “ing” was added to indicate that it was a name deduced from the name of a father or ancestor
.
, Denmark
and Norway
. Unfortunately all records from this time were destroyed.
During the 17th and 18th centuries several Hennings moved elsewhere—also to the New World
. Today, one of the biggest Henning clans is found in South Africa
. However, Henning families exist in almost every civilised country in the Western world.
and Greifswald
. It is known that Jacob Henning (the Old) was born during 1635 at Demmin
(near Greifswald
). Jacob Henning and his descendants became known as the Henning Family of Karnin
. Karnin
is approximately 25 km from Stralsund. Jacob Henning and his descendants were wealthy and important property owners, who lived in a castle
. Their castle was confiscated in 1945, during the Second World War, by the communist government who took over Eastern Germany
. Consequently the family spread across Western Germany
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
areas Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
, Hannover, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
and Pommern. Especially the towns Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
and Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
, in Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern...
, near the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
is well known as places where the name originated. Both towns formed part of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
up until the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
(1618 — 1648).
Etymology
Between the years 1300 and 1500 the name HENNING was used as a popular nickname for “the Son of John (Johannes)”. In the old BalticBaltic languages
The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe...
dialect a rooster was called a “Hen” (hen = male, henne = female). The Baltic
Baltic languages
The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe...
(or North German) “ing” was added to indicate that it was a name deduced from the name of a father or ancestor
Ancestor
An ancestor is a parent or the parent of an ancestor ....
.
Origins
The name originated amongst noblemen and knights, such as:- Henning = Johannes Older, who lived during 1290 in the vicinity of StralsundStralsund- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
; - Henning = Johannes Brunswick, who lived during 1305 at Kolberg. Today Kolberg is in PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, but during 1305 it formed part of the country which is known today as Germany. - Henning = Johannes Dotenberg (Knight) who lived during 1326 in the vicinity of Greiffswald. It is thought that he could be a descendant of Johannes Older.
- Earl Henning of Irkesleve who lived during 1330 in Haldslohe.
Distribution
During the 13th and 14th centuries the descendants of these first Hennings spread over the areas today known as GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Unfortunately all records from this time were destroyed.
During the 17th and 18th centuries several Hennings moved elsewhere—also to the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. Today, one of the biggest Henning clans is found in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. However, Henning families exist in almost every civilised country in the Western world.
Descendants
A few Henning descendants, however, remained in the vicinity of StralsundStralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
and Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
. It is known that Jacob Henning (the Old) was born during 1635 at Demmin
Demmin
Demmin is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It was the capital of the former district Demmin.- Name :...
(near Greifswald
Greifswald
Greifswald , officially, the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald is a town in northeastern Germany. It is situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at an equal distance of about from Germany's two largest cities, Berlin and Hamburg. The town borders the Baltic Sea, and is crossed...
). Jacob Henning and his descendants became known as the Henning Family of Karnin
Karnin
Karnin is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
. Karnin
Karnin
Karnin is a municipality in the Vorpommern-Rügen district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany....
is approximately 25 km from Stralsund. Jacob Henning and his descendants were wealthy and important property owners, who lived in a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. Their castle was confiscated in 1945, during the Second World War, by the communist government who took over Eastern Germany
Eastern Germany
Eastern Germany may refer to:* New federal states of Germany, the states that joined the Federal Republic of Germany after 1990Historically:* Former eastern territories of Germany, territories lost by Germany during and after the two world wars...
. Consequently the family spread across Western Germany
Western Germany
The geographic term Western Germany is used to describe a region in the west of Germany. The exact area defined by the term is not constant, but it usually includes, but does not have the borders of, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse...
.