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

Helmer, 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 Helmer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Helmer in America

Helmer is the 6049th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Helmer surname appeared 5,674 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Helmer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Helmer 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 Helmer

The surname Helmer has its origins in England and Germany, dating back to the medieval period. In England, it is believed to be derived from the Old English word "helm," meaning "helmet" or "protection," suggesting that the name may have initially been an occupational name for a helmet-maker or a soldier.

In Germany, the name Helmer is thought to have evolved from the Germanic personal name "Hilmar," which is composed of the elements "hild" meaning "battle" and "mari" meaning "famous." This indicates that the name may have been given to individuals who were renowned for their military prowess or achievements in battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Helmer can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Helmerus" in Essex, England. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in England during the 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name, such as "Helmere" and "Helmer," were documented in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire and the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem.

Notable individuals with the surname Helmer throughout history include:

1. William Helmer (c. 1530-1599), an English jurist and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. Johann Helmer (1609-1679), a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Giessen.
3. Olaus Helmer (1630-1696), a Swedish botanist and professor at the University of Uppsala.
4. Johann Gottfried Helmer (1749-1827), a German writer and translator known for his work on classical literature.
5. Thomas Helmer (1832-1904), an American politician and judge who served as the 14th governor of Indiana from 1893 to 1897.

The name Helmer has also been associated with various place names and geographical locations, such as Helmerton in Oxfordshire, England, and Helmershausen in Hesse, Germany, further highlighting the widespread use and distribution of the surname across different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Helmer

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

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

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

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