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

Hjelle, 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 Hjelle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hjelle in America

Hjelle is the 50467th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hjelle surname appeared 414 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 Hjelle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hjelle 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 Hjelle

The surname HJELLE is of Norwegian origin, originating in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "hjallr," which means "a flat stone" or "a ledge." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a rocky outcrop or a flat, elevated area.

In the early days, the name was primarily found in the western regions of Norway, particularly in the counties of Rogaland and Hordaland. Historical records from the 14th century indicate variations in spelling, such as "Hjelle," "Hjelde," and "Hjælde."

One of the earliest known references to the name HJELLE can be found in the Bergen Census of 1567, where a man named Olav Hjelle was listed as a resident of the city. Another notable mention is in the Gulating Law, a Norwegian provincial law code from the 13th century, which mentions a farm called "Hjelle" located in present-day Rogaland.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Nils Hjelle (1615-1689) was a Norwegian clergyman and author. He served as the Bishop of Stavanger and wrote several religious works, including a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

During the 18th century, a man named Hans Hjelle (1732-1801) gained recognition as a skilled shipbuilder in the town of Ålesund. He was responsible for constructing several vessels that were instrumental in the town's maritime trade.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was Ola Hjelle (1824-1897), a Norwegian farmer and politician. He served as a member of the Storting, the Norwegian parliament, and was known for his advocacy of agricultural reforms.

Another prominent figure was Kristian Hjelle (1869-1948), a Norwegian-American author and educator. He immigrated to the United States in the late 19th century and became a professor of Scandinavian languages and literature at the University of Minnesota.

The name HJELLE has also been associated with various place names in Norway, such as Hjelle in Sola municipality, Rogaland, and Hjellestadmarka in Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hjelle

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

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

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

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