Henao

Henao is a Spanish surname. It is the Spanish translation of Hainaut or archaically spelled Hainault. Hainaut is a Provence in Belgium and old county independent county that was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The name traces possibly two origins in Spain. The Spanish King Carlos had his personal kings guard picked from the Walloon people in what is now Belgium. These soldiers or associates of the noble family of the Count of Hainaut made there way to the royal courts of Castilla through the port of Bilbao from then Spanish Flanders which then Hainaut pertained to. This means that the Family first settles in the Basque country in Spain made there way to the main cities of Castilla where most of the royal courts of the Spanish crown were located. This Noble family later settled in various Castilian cities such as Burgos, Avila, Salamanca, Alba de tormes, Ciudad real, and Bilbao among others. Hainaut become Henao in Spanish (Castilian) denotinf the place of origin in Flander where they came from (Hainaut). Later during the age of Discovery Spanish settler including those of the Henao family in spain would settle in Colonial Latin American lands, hence why the last name is present in Latin America, colombia in particular. Notable people with the surname include:

• Alexandra Henao (born c. 1970), Venezuelan cinematographer and film director
• Carolina Colorado Henao (born 1987), Colombian swimmer
• Hárrison Henao (born 1987), Colombian footballer
• Jorge Henão (born 1962), Venezuelan swimmer
• Juan Carlos Henao (born 1971), Colombian footballer
• Luis Felipe Henao Cardona (born 1979), Colombian politician
• Mauricio Hénao (born 1987), Colombian-American actor
• Sebastián Henao (born 1993), Colombian cyclist
• Sergio Henao (born 1987), Colombian cyclist
• Zulay Henao (born 1979), Colombian-American actress
• Gabriel De Henao (born 16th century) Spanish Castilian author, historian, monk