2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Hilsen
A Norwegian surname derived from a greeting or salutation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Hilsen. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hilsen 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Hilsen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hilsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hilsen
Among Census respondents with the surname Hilsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hilsen 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 Hilsen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.5% · 100
- Two or more races5.3% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hilsen
Hilsen 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-14 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,827 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,080 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 20,827 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 3,080 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 Hilsen 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 | #144,141 | #147,221 | -2.1% |
| Count | 115 | 113 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hilsen bearers went from 115 to 113 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 3,080 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #147,221.
FAQ
Hilsen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hilsen?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Hilsen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Hilsen?
Hilsen ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Hilsen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Hilsen.
Has Hilsen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hilsen went from 115 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Hilsen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hilsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.3%) and Hispanic (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 Hilsen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hilsen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.5%), Two or More Races (5.3%), Hispanic (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 Hilsen (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 Hilsen mean?
A Norwegian surname derived from a greeting or salutation. 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 Hilsen (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 are called Hilsen?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Hilsen is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.