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

Hellerman, 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 Hellerman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hellerman in America

Hellerman is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hellerman surname appeared 127 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 Hellerman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hellerman 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 Hellerman

The surname HELLERMAN is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the modern-day states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

One of the earliest known references to the name HELLERMAN can be found in a collection of municipal records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dated around 1530. Here, a certain Hans Hellerman is mentioned as a resident and tradesman of the town.

The name HELLERMAN is thought to be derived from the German words "helle" meaning "bright" or "clear," and "mann" meaning "man." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person with a fair or bright complexion, or possibly someone who worked in a profession that involved light or brightness, such as a candlemaker or a glassblower.

In the 17th century, the name HELLERMAN appears in various church records and parish registers across southern Germany. Notable individuals from this era include Johann Hellerman (1621-1689), a Lutheran pastor and theologian from Nuremberg, and Anna Maria Hellerman (1653-1712), a renowned herbalist and healer from the town of Rothenburg.

As the centuries progressed, the HELLERMAN name spread to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. In the 19th century, records show several HELLERMAN families residing in the Prussian territories, with some members emigrating to the United States and other parts of the world.

One of the most notable individuals with the HELLERMAN surname was Carl Hellerman (1849-1924), a German-born American industrialist and inventor. He is credited with developing several groundbreaking technologies in the field of metalworking and is considered a pioneer in the mass production of metal goods.

Other significant figures include:

1. Otto Hellerman (1876-1951), a German-American architect known for his Art Deco designs in New York City.
2. Hilda Hellerman (1899-1987), a German-born American artist and illustrator, famous for her children's book illustrations.
3. Ernst Hellerman (1915-2003), a German-born British philosopher and academic, who taught at the University of Cambridge.
4. Joseph Hellerman (1923-2008), an American writer and journalist, renowned for his work on civil rights and social justice issues.
5. Lena Hellerman (1954-present), a German-born American actress and theater director, known for her work on Broadway and in regional theater productions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hellerman

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

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

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

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