2000
#11,621
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,478
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.92
Rare Last name
Helland
Derived from a Norwegian place name meaning "flat rock" or "flagstone," likely referring to a person's residence.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,522 Americans carry the last name Helland. That puts it at #13,285 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 135,906 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Helland 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Helland with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 135,906
Census rank
#13,285
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,199 bearers of the surname Helland in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13285th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Helland, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Helland
The surname HELLAND is of Norwegian origin, with its roots dating back to the Viking era. It is believed to have originated from a farm or settlement called Helland, located in the western regions of Norway, particularly in the areas around Stavanger and Rogaland.
The name HELLAND is derived from the Old Norse words "hell" meaning "flat rock" or "rocky area," and "land" referring to a piece of land or territory. This etymology suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who lived near or owned land characterized by rocky or flat terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the HELLAND surname can be found in the "Norske Gaardnavne" (Norwegian Farm Names), a comprehensive compilation of farm names and their origins, published in the late 19th century. The book mentions several farms and settlements bearing the name Helland, indicating the widespread use of the name across various regions of Norway.
In the 13th century, a prominent figure named Erling Hellandsson is mentioned in the "Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar" (The Saga of Haakon Haakonsson), a historical account of the life and reign of King Haakon IV of Norway (1217-1263). Erling Hellandsson was a wealthy landowner and a respected member of the nobility, known for his influence and involvement in the political affairs of the time.
Another notable individual with the HELLAND surname was Hans Helland (1549-1619), a Norwegian clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Stavanger from 1607 until his death. He played a significant role in the Reformation period in Norway and was instrumental in the establishment of the Lutheran Church in the region.
In the 18th century, Peder Helland (1737-1801) was a Norwegian historian and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Old Norse literature and language. His work, "Norges Gamle Love" (The Ancient Laws of Norway), published in 1846, was a seminal work that provided valuable insights into the legal system and culture of medieval Norway.
During the 19th century, Amund Helland (1846-1918) was a prominent Norwegian geologist and explorer. He is renowned for his pioneering work in mapping and studying the geology of various regions in Norway, including Svalbard and the Arctic regions. His contributions to the field of geology and his extensive expeditions earned him widespread recognition.
The HELLAND surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Norwegian culture and geography. While its origins can be traced back to specific locations and settlements, the name has spread across Norway and beyond, carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Helland
Among Census respondents with the surname Helland, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Helland 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 Helland surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 2,034
- Two or more races3.8% · 84
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 48
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 23
- Black or African American0.4% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Helland
Helland 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
#11,160
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,835
+357 bearers (+14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Up 461 places
2020
#13,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,199
-636 bearers (-22.4%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 2,125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,621 | 2,478 | 0.92 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,160 | 2,835 | 0.96 | +357 bearers (+14.4%) | Up 461 places |
| 2020 | #13,285 | 2,199 | 0.74 | -636 bearers (-22.4%) | Down 2,125 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 Helland 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 | #11,160 | #13,285 | -19.0% |
| Count | 2,835 | 2,199 | -22.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.96 | 0.74 | -23.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Helland bearers went from 2,835 to 2,199 (-22.4% change). The surname moved down 2,125 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,160 to #13,285.
FAQ
Helland surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Helland?
Name Census estimates that about 2,522 living Americans carry the surname Helland. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 135,906 residents.
How common is Helland?
Helland ranks #13,285 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,199 people with the surname Helland. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,522), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Helland.
Has Helland become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Helland went from 2,835 recorded bearers to 2,199. That is a decrease of 636 (-22.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,160 to #13,285.
What does the Census say about the background of Helland?
Among Census respondents with the surname Helland, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Helland in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (2,034 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Helland appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (3.8%), Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Helland (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 Helland mean?
Derived from a Norwegian place name meaning "flat rock" or "flagstone," likely referring to a person's residence. 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 Helland (0.74 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 have the surname Helland?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.