Helvécia was founded in 1892 by Swiss-born teacher Heinrich Eduard Weber [de].

[citation needed] Helvécia was settled by 501 vineyard workers, most of them from the Balaton wine country.

[citation needed] Approximately half of the population lives in hamlets.

The rest is distributed between two centres approximately 3 km apart from each other: the older Helvécia-Ótelep, and the Szabó-Sándor-telep or Újtelep, originally a housing area for the former collective farm.

[citation needed] Helvécia is twinned with:[3] In 1973, a severe level crossing accident took place here with 37 people at least killed.