2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Helma
A German surname derived from the word "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protective headgear."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Helma. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Helma 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.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Helma in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Helma, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Helma
The surname Helma is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "helm," which means "helmet" or "protector." This suggests that the surname may have been initially given to someone who worked as an armorer or was known for their skill in crafting helmets.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Helma can be found in the town records of Cologne, Germany, from the late 1500s. These records mention a family by the name of Helma residing in the city's outskirts. It is possible that this family played a role in the local armory or metalworking trade, which could explain the origin of their surname.
In the 17th century, the name Helma appeared in various historical documents across parts of central and southern Germany. Some of these documents reference individuals with the surname Helma who were involved in professions related to metalworking or military service, further reinforcing the potential connection between the name and its meaning.
One notable figure with the surname Helma was Johann Helma, a German blacksmith and armorer who lived in the late 17th century. Born in 1648 in the town of Erfurt, Johann Helma was renowned for his exceptional craftsmanship in creating high-quality helmets and armor for local nobility and military forces.
Another significant individual bearing the surname Helma was Katharina Helma, a German writer and poet who lived from 1701 to 1778. Katharina Helma's works, which explored themes of nature and spirituality, gained recognition in literary circles during her lifetime and were influential in shaping the literary landscape of her era.
In the 19th century, the name Helma became more widespread across various regions of Germany. One notable figure from this period was Friedrich Helma, a German philosopher and educator born in 1832. Friedrich Helma's writings on ethics and moral philosophy garnered considerable attention, and he is remembered as a prominent intellectual of his time.
Over the centuries, the surname Helma has also been associated with various place names and locations across Germany. For instance, the town of Helmstadt in Bavaria is believed to have derived its name from the Old German word "helm," potentially indicating a connection to the surname Helma and its origins.
While the surname Helma is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Germany's rich cultural heritage, carrying with it a fascinating history and a deep connection to the country's past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Helma
Among Census respondents with the surname Helma, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Helma 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 Helma surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Helma
Helma 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,776 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,578 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,776 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 3,578 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 Helma 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 | #151,532 | #147,954 | 2.4% |
| Count | 108 | 112 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Helma bearers went from 108 to 112 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 3,578 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #147,954.
FAQ
Helma surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Helma?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Helma. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Helma?
Helma ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Helma. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Helma.
Has Helma become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Helma went from 108 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 4 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Helma?
Among Census respondents with the surname Helma, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Helma in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Helma appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Helma (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 Helma mean?
A German surname derived from the word "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protective headgear." 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 Helma (0.04 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 last name Helma?
You can see how many people have the last name Helma on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.