The Helms surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 23,949 people carried this name — #1,493 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 12,300 people counted. That is down 19% from 29,727 in 2000.

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In Switzerland’s population statistics

26 people named Helms live in Switzerland.

They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 15
Thurgau 4
Vaud 4
Lucerne 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

24 people named Helms is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 24

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In print

Helms in American newspapers,
1895.

Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Helms
The Anaconda Standard 1895-12-12
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Helms
The Anaconda Standard 1895-12-11
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Helms
The Anaconda Standard 1895-12-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 559,641 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Helms in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

5,792 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Helms. The most, 1,328, date from the 1890s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 3.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 2,051
Western Australia 1,359
New South Wales 1,091
Queensland 759
South Australia 324
ACT (Canberra) 111
Tasmania 91
Northern Territory 2

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Helms.

Who carried it

People named Helms,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jacob Helms
    Jacob Helms 1824–1906 · priest
  • Johannes Helms
    Johannes Helms 1828–1895 · writer
  • Richard Helms
    Richard Helms 1842–1914 · naturalist
  • Richard Helms
    Richard Helms 1842–1914 · naturalist
  • Adam Helms 1579–1653 · pastor
  • William Helms 1800–1813 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Helms,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,984 records

1,984 records of the Helms name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,086
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 312
  • Other U.S. records 586
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Wallace W. Helms

    Born 1930; from Los Angeles County, California. U.S. Army, heavy weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1953 in North Korea. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Richard D. Helms

    Born 1921 in Kansas. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles, California; aircraft worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1993, buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Otto Helms

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Grosser Kurfurst from Cherbourg, aged 17; clerk. From Bremen, Germany; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,984 records for Helms in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Netherlands674 records

674 records of the Helms name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 405
  • Dutch population registers 234
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 35
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Adriaan Helms

    Married in 1836 in Hontenisse; day labourer. Died 1853 in Hontenisse, aged 68; workman.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Helms

    Married in 1916 in Amsterdam; merchant. Died 1966 in Vinkeveen en Waverveen, aged 73.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Peter Helms

    Married in 1868 in Zwolle; painter. Died 1915 in Zwolle, aged 72.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 674 records for Helms in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany537 records

537 records of the Helms name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 536
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Otto Helms

    Born 1896; from Buchholz, Harburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 11 June 1917; then reported missing in the list of 1 February 1919 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 229).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Peter Heinrich Helms

    Emigrated to Poland in 1819.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Ludwig Helms

    From Frankfurt a. M. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 20 April 1915; then reported missing in the list of 27 December 1916; then reported dead in the list of 27 December 1917 (Infantry Regiment No. 144).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 537 records for Helms in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Australia329 records

329 records of the Helms name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 238
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 53
  • Other Australian records 38
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Robert Helms

    Arrived in Victoria in 1854 aboard the Australia, aged 31; British subject.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Edward Lloyd Helms

    Retired of Newport, Victoria; died 1994.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sabina Helms

    Of Double Bay and London, England; died 1927.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)

Showing 3 of 329 records for Helms in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada24 records

24 records of the Helms name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 22
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 1
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jonathon P. Helms

    Died 1919 in Amherst, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record John Martin Helms

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sarah Jean Helms

    Died 1936 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 24 records for Helms in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Helms name in the United Kingdom St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Christopher Watson Helms

    Buried in 1823 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 46.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 1 of 5 records for Helms in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Helms name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Elisabeth Emilie Helms

    Born 1916 in Strasbourg; died 1998 in Illkirch-Graffenstaden (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Rene Albert Helms

    Born 1918 in Strasbourg; died 1989 in Haguenau (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Helms in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Helms name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Donald Dryden Helms

    Died 1978, aged 61; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Elsie Helms

    Died 1920, aged 19; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Norway1 record

1 record of the Helms name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Jeny Helms

    Census of 1910: Myrvoll, Skjerstad; born 1887 in Leines.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Helms.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Helms is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Helms volume
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