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

Held, 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 Held surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Held in America

Held is the 4896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Held surname appeared 7,195 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Held.

We can also compare 2010 data for Held 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 Held

The surname Held is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "helde," meaning "hero" or "brave man." It emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th century, and was initially used as a descriptive name to identify individuals who displayed heroic or courageous qualities.

The name Held can be traced back to various regions within German-speaking areas, including Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. It was particularly prevalent in areas where Germanic tribes, such as the Franks and Saxons, had settled and established communities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Held can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony dating back to the 12th century. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Konrad Held, a German knight and military commander who fought in the Hussite Wars against the Hussites in Bohemia. He was born around 1380 and died in 1451.

Another prominent figure with the surname Held was Hans Held, a German Renaissance painter and engraver who lived from approximately 1530 to 1592. He was renowned for his intricate woodcuts and engravings, which depicted religious and mythological scenes.

During the 17th century, Georg Held, a German theologian and author, made significant contributions to Protestant theology. He was born in 1620 and passed away in 1688.

In the 19th century, Adolf Held, a German philosopher and educator, gained recognition for his work in the field of ethics and education. He was born in 1844 and died in 1918.

The surname Held can also be found in various place names throughout German-speaking regions, such as Heldburg, a town in Thuringia, and Heldenstein, a municipality in Bavaria. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the surname Held who were associated with or resided in those areas.

Overall, the surname Held has a rich history rooted in the German language and culture, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages. It has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, including military, art, theology, and philosophy, over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Held

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

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 Held 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 Held 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 Held was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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