Hanssuesia is based on a skull dome originally named Troodon sternbergi by Barnum Brown and Erich Maren Schlaikjer in 1943.

The specific name honoured Charles Mortram Sternberg who found the dome in 1928 near Steveville in south Alberta.

[3] The spelling variant "Hanssuessia" appeared in the publication, but the same year Sullivan chose for Hanssuesia as the valid name.

[5] Hanssuesia was initially described as one of several pachycephalosaurids known from Dinosaur Park, including Stegoceras validum, Gravitholus albertae, and Foraminacephale brevis.

Dyer et al. also found Gravitholus to be synonymous with Stegoceras, thus decreasing the diversity of Dinosaur Park pachycephalosaurids to only two valid taxa.