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

Helena, 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 Helena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Helena in America

Helena is the 54296th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Helena surname appeared 380 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Helena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Helena 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 Helena

The surname Helena is of Greek origin and is believed to have originated from the Greek word "helene," which means "bright, shining light." It is a name closely associated with the ancient Greek mythological figure Helen of Troy, whose abduction by Paris is said to have sparked the Trojan War.

The earliest known records of the surname Helena date back to the Byzantine Empire in the 5th century AD. During this time, it was a common practice for individuals to adopt surnames derived from their place of origin, occupation, or personal characteristics. The surname Helena likely emerged as a patronymic or a descriptive name, referring to someone who possessed a bright or radiant appearance.

In medieval Europe, the surname Helena was particularly prevalent in regions with strong Greek cultural influences, such as parts of Italy, Greece, and the Balkans. It was also found in areas where Greek communities had settled, such as parts of southern France and certain regions of the former Byzantine Empire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Helena was Eirene Helena, a Byzantine empress who ruled from 780 to 802 AD. She played a significant role in the restoration of the veneration of icons during the Byzantine Iconoclasm period.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Helena was Saint Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Born around 250 AD, she is venerated as a saint in various Christian traditions for her role in locating and preserving Christian relics, including the alleged True Cross upon which Jesus was crucified.

In the 14th century, a prominent member of the Helena family was Giovanni Helena, an Italian scholar and humanist who lived from 1363 to 1437. He was renowned for his contributions to the revival of classical literature and his translations of ancient Greek texts.

During the Renaissance, the Helena surname was associated with several notable artists and intellectuals. One such individual was Jacopo Helena, a 15th-century Italian painter and architect who worked on various projects in Florence and other parts of Tuscany.

Another notable figure was Giulia Helena, an Italian poet and writer who lived from 1546 to 1608. She was a member of the Accademia della Virtù in Rome and was celebrated for her poetic works and literary salons.

While the surname Helena has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has been adopted and adapted across various regions and cultures throughout history, reflecting the diverse and rich tapestry of human migration and cultural exchange.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Helena

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

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

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

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