Find out how popular the last name Hellen is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Hellen.
A surname derived from the Greek word for "Greek" or "Hellenic".
Hellen, 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 Hellen surname is from the 2010 census data.
Hellen is the 38439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Hellen surname appeared 576 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 Hellen.
We can also compare 2010 data for Hellen 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 38439 | 33090 | 14.96% |
Count | 576 | 652 | -12.38% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.20 | 0.24 | -18.18% |
The surname HELLEN is of English origin, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "helle," which means "slope" or "hill," suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived on or near a hill or a sloping terrain.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the HELLEN surname can be found in the Hearth Tax records of Yorkshire, England, in the late 17th century. These records document households and their occupants, providing valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that period.
In the 18th century, the HELLEN surname appeared in various parish records and census documents across various counties in England, including Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire. Some of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname include Thomas Hellen, born in 1721 in Lancashire, and John Hellen, born in 1745 in Yorkshire.
The HELLEN surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual is Sir John Hellen (1756-1832), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and leadership, particularly during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Another prominent figure with the HELLEN surname is William Hellen (1848-1923), a Scottish-born civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of several railways and bridges in Australia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the literary world, the surname HELLEN is associated with the American writer and poet, Kathleen Hellen (1914-2001), whose works explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience. Her poetry collections, such as "The Autumn Wind" (1947) and "Echoes of the Evergreen" (1962), received critical acclaim.
The HELLEN surname has also been linked to various place names and geographical locations throughout England. For instance, the village of Hellen's Croft in Northamptonshire is believed to have derived its name from an individual with the surname HELLEN who resided or owned land in the area.
It is important to note that while the HELLEN surname has a rich history and has been associated with notable individuals and places, its prevalence and distribution may have varied over time. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the concept of living on or near a hill or a sloping terrain.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Hellen.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Hellen was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 87.33% | 503 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 6.42% | 37 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.39% | 8 |
Hispanic Origin | 4.17% | 24 |
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 Hellen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 87.33% | 86.96% | 0.42% |
Black | 6.42% | 6.13% | 4.62% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 1.07% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 1.39% | 2.30% | -49.32% |
Hispanic | 4.17% | 3.53% | 16.62% |
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 Hellen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hellen, please contact us.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/hellen-surname-popularity/">Hellen last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Hellen last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 28, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/hellen-surname-popularity/.
"Hellen last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/hellen-surname-popularity/. Accessed 28 June, 2025
Hellen last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/hellen-surname-popularity/.
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