Project Co-ordinator: Gareth Ll. C. Henson
Aims of the Project:
to discover and record the genealogies of the Henson families
living in Wales in the 19th, 20th & 21st centuries
to connect these families with Henson families in England and elsewhere
to discover the origins of the Henson surname and the ancient ancestral roots of its bearers
The Project will use:
traditional genealogical resources e.g. records of births, marriages and deaths
modern scientific tools such as DNA testing
Summary of Results to Date:
2 major lines identified in South Wales, centred on Bridgend and Newport, both originating in migrations from Somerset in the mid 19th century
the Bridgend branch originates in Devon but is not yet connected to a specific family
the Newport branch connects to a Henson family in Bampton, Devon
the Henson surname occurs most strongly in two areas of England: Devon/Somerset and Nottingham/Leicester/Northampton
1 DNA sample has been tested (Bridgend branch) – the likely deep ancestral origin is Spain/Portugal during the Ice Age (20,000 BC) with migration to Britain several thousand years ago
Family Trees
Bridgend Branch
Head of Family: Henry Henson
Newport Branch
Head of Family: John Henson
Reminiscing at the Rugby Match by W. Clifford Henson
The Park Slip Colliery Explosion
(Two Henson cousins, George and Thomas, died in this mining disaster.)
Cofio (Remembering) by Waldo Williams
This Project is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather W. Clifford Henson (1906-1992) and to his memories of his sister Catherine Rachel Henson (1907-1912)
Date of last update: 26 February 2006