Find out how popular the last name Heilman is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Heilman.

Heilman, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Heilman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Heilman in America

Heilman is the 4504th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Heilman surname appeared 7,876 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Heilman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Heilman to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Heilman

The surname Heilman is of German origin and traces its roots back to the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the German word "heil," meaning "whole" or "healthy," and "mann," meaning "man." Therefore, the name Heilman likely referred to a strong, healthy man or someone associated with healing practices.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heilman can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Augsburg, where a certain "Hans Heilman" was mentioned as a respected citizen. Additionally, the name appears in various church records and tax rolls from the 15th and 16th centuries in various German-speaking regions.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Heilman name gained prominence among members of the nobility and clergy. Notable examples include Johann Heilman (1520-1594), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation, and Heinrich Heilman (1563-1632), a renowned jurist and legal scholar from Saxony.

As the name spread across Europe, it also took on variations in spelling, such as Heilmann, Heylman, and Hailman. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name outside of Germany was in England, where a certain "William Heilman" was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by King Edward I.

The Heilman surname also found its way to the United States, where many Germans immigrated in the 18th and 19th centuries. One notable American with this surname was Jesse Heilman (1797-1853), a politician and lawyer from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Other notable individuals with the Heilman surname throughout history include:

1. Johann Heilman (1492-1556), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Saxony.
2. Friedrich Heilman (1726-1803), a German painter and etcher known for his landscapes and architectural scenes.
3. Samuel Heilman (1803-1874), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Heilman Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
4. Lillian Heilman (1895-1995), an American playwright and screenwriter who wrote several acclaimed plays, including "The Little Foxes" and "Toys in the Attic."
5. Robert Heilman (1906-2005), an American literary critic and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of modern drama and poetry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Heilman

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Heilman.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Heilman was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Heilman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Heilman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Heilman, please contact us.

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