2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Heleine
A variation of the Germanic surname Helene, derived from the ancient Greek name Helen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Heleine. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Heleine surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Heleine in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Heleine, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Heleine
The surname HELEINE has its origins in the rolling hills and lush meadows of the Normandy region in northern France. Emerging in the early 11th century, it is believed to have derived from the Old French word "heleine," which translates to "breath" or "fragrance."
During the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many Norman families accompanied William the Conqueror, and it is likely that the HELEINE name was introduced to the British Isles during this period. Early records show variations such as Helene, Heleyn, and Heleigne, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions in medieval times.
One of the earliest documented instances of the HELEINE surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a certain Radulfus Heleine is listed as a landowner in the county of Essex. This suggests that the family had already established a foothold in England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, a nobleman named Sir Robert Heleine was a prominent figure in the court of King Edward I. He was known for his valor in the Scottish Wars of Independence and was granted lands in the Welsh Marches for his loyal service to the crown.
During the Renaissance period, the HELEINE name gained further recognition with the birth of the French poet and humanist, Pierre Heleine (1495-1565). His works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and the human spirit, were widely acclaimed throughout Europe and influenced generations of writers and thinkers.
In the 17th century, the HELEINE family made their mark in the New World. William Heleine (1620-1698), a merchant from Dorset, England, was among the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He and his descendants played a pivotal role in the development of the region, establishing successful businesses and contributing to the growth of several towns and villages.
Another notable figure bearing the HELEINE surname was Marie-Anne Heleine (1724-1808), a French botanist and naturalist. Her groundbreaking work on plant taxonomy and her extensive collection of specimens earned her the admiration of prominent scientists of the time, including Carl Linnaeus.
Throughout the centuries, the HELEINE name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, each leaving their mark on history in their own unique way. From noble knights and esteemed scholars to intrepid explorers and pioneering entrepreneurs, the legacy of this surname continues to endure, a testament to the rich tapestry of human experience.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Heleine
Among Census respondents with the surname Heleine, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Heleine bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Heleine surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.6% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 4
- Two or more races3.5% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Heleine
Heleine appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,523 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+6 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,695 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 15,523 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.5%) | Up 4,695 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Heleine surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #145,757 | 3.1% |
| Count | 109 | 115 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Heleine bearers went from 109 to 115 (+5.5% change). The surname moved up 4,695 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #145,757.
FAQ
Heleine surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Heleine?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Heleine. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Heleine?
Heleine ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 115 people with the surname Heleine. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Heleine.
Has Heleine become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Heleine went from 109 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 6 (+5.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Heleine?
Among Census respondents with the surname Heleine, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Heleine in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.6% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Heleine appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.6%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Heleine (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Heleine mean?
A variation of the Germanic surname Helene, derived from the ancient Greek name Helen. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Heleine (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Heleine?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.