The name "Henham" means 'High homestead/village'.[3] Henham was recorded in the Domesday Book as Henham.[4] At this time Ralph Baynard had the lordship. This subsequently passed to Robert Kerdeston remaining in his family until about 1440. It then passed to the de la Pole family.[5]
Historically it was in the Blything Hundred and in the Deanery of Dunwich, (Dunwich North for the period 1868 to 1914, when that deanery was administratively divided in three).[6]
There are some medieval remains of Henham village along with a moat and church located in Tuttles Wood.[7]
Under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866 Henham became a civil parish in 1866.[8] At the same time the hamlet of Wangford also became a distinct civil parish, but without ecclesiastical status.
Abolition
On 1 April 1987 the parish was abolished and merged with Wangford to form "Wangford with Henham".[9]