Henry, Fitzhenry, ó hInneirghe, Mac hAonraoi
A Gaelic surname meaning descendant of Inneirghe meaning ‘early riser’. A sept of the Cineál Eoghain who were chiefs of Cuileanntrach in Tyrone. In its anglicised form difficult to distinguish from Mac hAnraoi, meaning son of Henry. Henry was a numerous personal name amongst the Norman settlers in Ireland, accordingly there is a Fitzhenry family in Wexford. Meiler and Robert who landed at Bannow in 1169 were grandsons of King Henry I. The Fitzhenry’s were made barons of Kilcavan, near Ballymitty in Wexford. Also a surname found in both England and Scotland. The personal name was introduced by the Normans, amongst whom it was very popular. Derived from the Old German Haimirich, compound of haimi ‘house’, ‘home’ and ric ‘ruler’. Henry was numerous surname in the districts of Ayr and Fife in Scotland. In 1890 Henry was numerous in Sligo, it was also to be found in Antrim and Tyrone. The estimated number of bearers was 5,913 (including variants). In the United States Henry is the 133rd most numerous surname with an estimated 187,000 bearers. In England and Wales in 1996 Henry was the 374th most numerous surname.