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

Helwig, 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 Helwig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Helwig in America

Helwig is the 11086th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Helwig surname appeared 2,863 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Helwig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Helwig 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 Helwig

The surname Helwig has its origins in medieval Germany, emerging as a personal name during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German words "heil" meaning "healthy" or "prosperous" and "wig" meaning "battle" or "war." The name was likely given to someone who was renowned for their bravery and success in combat.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Helwig dates back to 1170 when a knight named Helwig von Leiningen was mentioned in the chronicles of the Leiningen family, a prominent noble house in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. The name also appeared in the Codex Traditionum Westfalicarum, a medieval manuscript from the Westphalia region, which documented various land transactions and legal proceedings.

During the 13th century, the name Helwig gained popularity among the German aristocracy. Notable individuals bearing the name include Helwig von Bamberg, a scholar and cleric who served as the Bishop of Bamberg from 1205 to 1237, and Helwig von Schlüsselberg, a knight and landowner from the Rhineland region, whose family's ancestral seat was located in the village of Schlüsselberg.

In the 15th century, the name Helwig was associated with a prominent family of merchants and bankers from the city of Cologne. Helwig von Gennep, born in 1420, was a wealthy merchant and financier who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs. His grandson, Helwig von Gennep II, born in 1475, continued the family's mercantile traditions and served as a respected member of Cologne's civic council.

As the name Helwig spread across various regions of Germany, it underwent several spelling variations, including Helwig, Hellwig, Hellwigg, and Helleweck. Some of these variations were influenced by local dialects and linguistic changes over time. In the 16th century, the name was also found in the Low German regions of northern Germany, where it was spelled as Helwig or Hellwig.

One notable bearer of the name in modern history was Helwig von Hinke, a German general who served during World War II. Born in 1890, he rose through the ranks of the German army and commanded several divisions on the Eastern Front before being captured by Soviet forces in 1945. He died in captivity in 1952.

The surname Helwig has a rich history rooted in medieval Germany, tracing its origins to a personal name that symbolized valor and success in battle. Over the centuries, it has been associated with notable individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, merchants, and military leaders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Helwig

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

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

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

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