held

Held is a surname of German origin and a common noun in German. As a noun, held means "hero," and it appears in compounds such as Heldentum (heroism) and Heldenepos (epic hero). The surname likely originated as a nickname for a brave or notable person and later passed to descendants.

In English, held is the past tense and past participle of hold. It is used in sentences such as "She held the rope firmly" or "The line was held by the crane." The form is irregular in the sense that it differs from the present tense hold.

Notable people with the surname include Al Held (1915–2005), an American painter associated with Abstract Expressionism and later color-field work. The Held surname is found in German, American, and other Western contexts and can appear in various biographical and historical contexts, including art history and scholarship.

Outside of people, Held can appear in place names or organizational names in German-speaking regions, reflecting its linguistic and cultural roots. In academic and cultural references, the term may also intersect with discussions of heroism, language, and typography, depending on the context.