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

Hella, 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 Hella surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hella in America

Hella is the 95955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hella surname appeared 190 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 Hella.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hella 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 Hella

The surname Hella originates from Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "hella," which means "bright" or "shining," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone with a bright complexion or radiant personality.

In the medieval period, the name Hella was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It appeared in various historical documents, such as church registers and municipal records, often spelled as "Hella," "Helle," or "Hellen." The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of documents from the principality of Anhalt, dated around 1250.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Hella was Johann Hella (1586-1647), a German philosopher and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and contributed to the development of Lutheran theology.

Another notable bearer of the name was Gottfried Hella (1660-1723), a German architect and military engineer. He was responsible for the design and construction of several fortifications and buildings in the region of Saxony during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the 19th century, the name Hella was associated with several artists and intellectuals. One such figure was August Hella (1825-1891), a German painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits. He was a member of the Düsseldorf school of painting and exhibited his works throughout Europe.

The name Hella can also be traced to some place names in Germany, such as Hellau, a village in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname Hella as a reference to their place of origin or residence.

Throughout history, the surname Hella has been borne by various individuals, including writers, scientists, and military figures. For example, Richard Hella (1880-1949) was a German writer and journalist who contributed to several newspapers and magazines in the early 20th century. Another notable bearer was Walter Hella (1909-1987), a German physicist and pioneer in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

While the surname Hella is not among the most common in Germany today, it remains a part of the country's rich cultural heritage, reflecting the diverse origins and meanings of surnames throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hella

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

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

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

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