Helmut History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Helmut

What does the name Helmut mean?

The distinguished German surname Helmut is thought to be of patronymic origin, deriving from the name of the father of the original bearer. There are no records that document the use of "Helmut" as a first name during the Middle Ages; thus, the name is probably derived from the Germanic personal name "Heilmut," which is composed of two elements: the Old High German "heil," meaning "healthy," and the Old High German "muot," meaning "spirit."

Early Origins of the Helmut family

The surname Helmut was first found in Saxony, where the ancestral home of the family is thought to be located. The earliest known bearer of the name was Andr. Helmut, who was a bookkeeper from Basel living in Radolfzell in 1478. The young Helmut family was instrumental during this formative time, figuring prominently in the early history of the region and contributing greatly to the development of medieval German society.

Early History of the Helmut family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Helmut research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1491, 1494, 1591, 1746 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Helmut History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Helmut Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Helmuth, Hellmuth, Helmut, Hellmut and others.

Early Notables of the Helmut family

More information is included under the topic Early Helmut Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Helmut family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Georg Hellmuth, a Hessian mercenary who settled in Newfoundland after fighting in the American Revolution; Catharina Helmut, who came to New York in 1836.

Contemporary Notables of the name Helmut (post 1700) +

Frank Helmut Auerbach (1931-2024), German-born, British artist and winner of the Golden Lion Award in 1986
Karlheinz Helmut Förster (b. 1958), retired German footballer
Christoph Helmut Keitel (b. 1965), German physicist awarded the Gustav Hertz Prize in 2003
Günter Helmut Baumann (b. 1947), German politician
Helmut Reichelt (b. 1939), German Marxian critic of political economy, sociologist and philosopher
Helmut Dörner (1909-1945), German NaziWaffen-SS commander, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, killed in action
Helmut Münch (1939-2024), German computer scientist and politician, Member of the Christian Democratic Union, he served in the Landtag of Saxony from 1990 to 2004
Helmut Schlesinger (1924-2024), German economist, President of the Bundesbank from 1991 to 1993
Helmut van Emden (b. 1933), Emeritus Professor of Horticulture at the University of Reading
Helmut Thaler (1940-1964), Austrian luger who competed at the 1964 Winter Olympics