Hilsen last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Hilsen

A Norwegian surname derived from a greeting or salutation.

Hilsen, 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 Hilsen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hilsen in America

Hilsen is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hilsen surname appeared 115 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 Hilsen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hilsen 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank14414112331415.57%
Count115129-11.48%
Proportion per 100k0.040.05-22.22%

The history of the last name Hilsen

The surname HILSEN originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is likely derived from the German word "hilsen," which means "to greet" or "to salute." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who had a friendly or welcoming demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HILSEN can be found in the town of Hildesheim, located in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town's name is believed to be derived from the Old German word "hildi," meaning "battle," and "heim," meaning "home" or "residence." It's possible that the surname HILSEN evolved as a variant of the place name Hildesheim.

In the 17th century, a notable individual named Johann HILSEN (1623-1698) was a German theologian and author who wrote several theological treatises. His works were widely circulated and influenced religious discourse during that period.

Moving forward to the 18th century, records show a merchant named Friedrich HILSEN (1745-1812) who established a successful trading business in Hamburg, Germany. His entrepreneurial ventures contributed to the city's economic growth and prosperity.

Another prominent figure with the surname HILSEN was Katharina HILSEN (1789-1856), a German artist known for her intricate watercolor paintings depicting landscapes and botanical subjects. Her works were highly regarded during her lifetime and are now housed in various museums and private collections.

In the 19th century, a German politician named Wilhelm HILSEN (1821-1892) served as a member of the Reichstag, the parliament of the German Empire. He was a vocal advocate for workers' rights and played a significant role in shaping labor policies during the industrial revolution.

The surname HILSEN can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands and Scandinavia, suggesting that the name may have spread beyond its German origins over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hilsen

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

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 Hilsen was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only95.65%110
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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 Hilsen has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White95.65%96.90%-1.30%
Black0.00%0.00%0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%0.00%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%(S)%(S)%
Two or More Races(S)%0.00%(S)%
Hispanic(S)%(S)%(S)%

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

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

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