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

Hjelm, 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 Hjelm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hjelm in America

Hjelm is the 31383rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hjelm surname appeared 738 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 Hjelm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hjelm 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 Hjelm

The surname HJELM is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from Sweden and Norway. It is derived from the Old Norse word "hjalmr", which means "helmet" or "protective headgear". This surname likely originated during the Viking age, when warriors and soldiers would have worn helmets in battle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HJELM can be found in the Swedish census records from the 16th century. The name appears to have been most prevalent in the southern regions of Sweden, particularly in the provinces of Skåne and Blekinge.

In Norway, the name HJELM is thought to have originated from the farm name "Hjelmen" in the municipality of Sør-Odal, located in the county of Innlandet. This farm name is believed to have been derived from the Old Norse word "hjalmr", referring to the shape of the land resembling a helmet.

Notable individuals with the surname HJELM include:

1. Pehr Hjelm (1737-1813), a Swedish architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Stockholm, including the Svea Hovrätts building.

2. Carl Gustaf Hjelm (1823-1903), a Swedish entrepreneur and industrialist who founded the Hjelm & Bröderna Wallenberg company, which played a significant role in the early development of the Swedish iron industry.

3. Anna Hjelm (1868-1944), a Swedish writer and teacher who was known for her children's books and stories.

4. Nils Hjelm (1889-1962), a Norwegian politician and member of the Norwegian Labour Party, who served as the Minister of Social Affairs from 1935 to 1945.

5. Gunnar Hjelm (1923-2004), a Swedish actor and director who appeared in numerous Swedish films and television shows throughout his career.

While the surname HJELM is not as common as some other Scandinavian surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the Viking age and has been borne by several notable individuals in various fields, including architecture, literature, politics, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hjelm

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

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

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

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