NameCensus.

UK surname

Helson

Of English origin, likely referring to someone from Helson or Hellstone.

In the 1881 census there were 122 people recorded with the Helson surname, ranking it #17,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, down from #17,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Plymouth and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Helson is 296 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.5%.

1881 census count

122

Ranked #17,602

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

1861

296 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Helson had 122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 296 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Helson surname distribution map

The map shows where the Helson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Helson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Helson over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 196 #10,573
1861 historical 296 #8,532
1881 historical 122 #17,602
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 158 #17,507
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Helsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Plymouth, Westminster and Swindon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger Devon
4 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 014 Cornwall
2 Plymouth 003 Plymouth
3 Westminster 007 Westminster
4 Plymouth 004 Plymouth
5 Swindon 001 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Helson

These lists show first names that appear often with the Helson surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Helson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Helson, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Helson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Helson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Helson is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Helson is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Helson falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Helson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Helson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Helson

The surname Helson originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "helle" meaning "slope" or "hill" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement." Therefore, Helson likely referred to someone who lived in a town situated on a hill or slope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Bedfordshire in 1301, where a John de Heleston is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as Heleston or a similar variation.

Another early record of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which lists a Thomas Helson as a taxpayer. This indicates that the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Helson surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Sussex and Kent, which may have been areas where the name originated or had strong roots. Several Helsons are recorded in parish registers and other local records from these regions during this time.

Notable individuals with the surname Helson include William Helson (1582-1636), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for Hastings in the early 17th century. John Helson (1615-1678) was a clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bishopstone in Wiltshire.

In the 18th century, James Helson (1724-1799) was a respected naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was commended for his actions in several battles and rose to the rank of Admiral.

Another noteworthy Helson was Sir Benjamin Helson (1839-1920), a successful businessperson and philanthropist from Yorkshire. He made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to various charitable causes throughout his life.

The 19th century also saw the emergence of Mary Helson (1868-1942), a prominent educator and women's rights advocate. She campaigned for women's suffrage and played a significant role in advancing educational opportunities for girls in England.

While the Helson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, as a result of immigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Helson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Helson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 57 Helsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.46x.

County Total Index
Devon 57 22.46x
Middlesex 13 1.07x
Lancashire 8 0.55x
Cornwall 6 4.35x
Hampshire 6 2.40x
Surrey 6 1.01x
Lanarkshire 4 1.01x
Berkshire 3 3.28x
Dorset 3 3.75x
Kent 3 0.72x
Royal Navy 3 20.65x
Warwickshire 3 0.98x
Westmorland 3 11.20x
Yorkshire 3 0.25x
Lincolnshire 2 1.03x
Cheshire 1 0.37x
Norfolk 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lifton in Devon leads with 14 Helsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2295.08x.

Place Total Index
Lifton 14 2295.08x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 66.50x
Plymouth Charles The 7 62.61x
Kelly 6 6666.67x
Lambeth 5 4.70x
Millbrook 5 79.49x
Stoke Damerel 5 28.15x
Bethnal Green London 4 7.55x
Fulham London 4 22.62x
Old Monkland 4 25.56x
Wigan 4 19.78x
Buckland Monachorum 3 555.56x
Clifton Maybank 3 10000.00x
Habergham Eaves 3 22.69x
Kendal 3 61.22x
Paignton 3 155.44x
Plumstead 3 21.65x
Royal Navy 3 24.15x
St Ive 3 337.08x
Tilehurst 3 162.16x
Tottenham 3 15.45x
Broadwoodwidger 2 689.66x
Crediton 2 83.33x
Langley 2 3333.33x
Mirfield 2 30.17x
St Ives 2 74.07x
Alford 1 82.64x
Birmingham 1 0.98x
Brotton 1 63.29x
Caterham 1 38.02x
Devonport 1 34.25x
Hindley 1 16.21x
Hindringham 1 400.00x
Leadenham 1 1250.00x
Liskeard 1 43.29x
Macclesfield 1 8.36x
Milton Abbott 1 270.27x
Southampton St Mary 1 6.37x
St Pancras London 1 1.02x
Willesden 1 8.70x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Helson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Helson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 12
John 10
James 5
George 4
Henry 4
Charles 3
Richard 3
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Ellis 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
Isaac 1
J.C. 1
Lorenso 1
Thos.Marsh 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Helson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Helson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 122 people were recorded with the Helson surname. That placed it at #17,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Helson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Helson a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Helson surname mean?

Of English origin, likely referring to someone from Helson or Hellstone.

What does the Helson map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Helson bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.