This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Helms family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Helms Family History

Helms Surname Meaning

English (Northamptonshire): variant of Helm from the plural or in some cases a post-medieval variant with excrescent -s.

North German and Dutch: patronymic from Helm 3-

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Helms family from?

You can see how Helms families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Helms family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Helms families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 24 Helms families living in London. This was about 18% of all the recorded Helms's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Helms families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Helms surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Helms ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Helms. 87% of Helms women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Helms | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    87%
  • Incapacitated
    7%
  • Telephonist G P O
    7%

What Helms family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 90,000 census records available for the last name Helms. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Helms census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Helms

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Helms. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Helms immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Helms. For the veterans among your Helms ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Helms military records

You've only scratched the surface of Helms family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Helms family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial