2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Ol
An Anglicized spelling of the Scandinavian surname meaning "descendant of Olle".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Ol. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ol surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Ol in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ol, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 29.5%. The next largest groups are White (23.8%) and Hispanic (16.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ol
The surname Ol has its origins in Old Norse, with the earliest known examples dating back to the 9th century in Norway and parts of modern-day Sweden. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "olr", meaning "ancestral" or "heritage". It was likely used as a descriptive name to indicate someone of noble or ancient lineage.
Records from the Viking Age indicate that the name was present in various parts of Scandinavia, particularly in coastal regions where Norse settlers and traders had established settlements. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in runic inscriptions and medieval Norwegian manuscripts from the 11th and 12th centuries.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Ol was Olaf Ol Stigsson, a Norwegian chieftain and landowner who lived in the late 11th century. He was a prominent figure in the region of Trøndelag and is mentioned in the Icelandic sagas as a wealthy and influential individual.
In the 13th century, the name Ol appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals with the surname Ol may have been among the Norse settlers who migrated to parts of England during the Viking Age.
Another significant figure with the surname Ol was Olaf Ol Haraldsson, a Norwegian king who reigned from 1015 to 1030. Known as Olaf the Holy, he played a pivotal role in the Christianization of Norway and is celebrated as a martyr and saint in the Lutheran and Catholic traditions.
In the 14th century, the name Ol was found in various parts of Scotland, possibly brought by Norse settlers from the Shetland and Orkney Islands. One notable individual from this period was Ragnhild Ol, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the late 14th century and was known for her involvement in land disputes and legal battles over inheritance rights.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Ol has undergone various spelling variations, such as Oll, Olle, and Olle, often reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences. However, the core meaning and significance of the name have remained tied to its Norse origins, reflecting a sense of ancestral heritage and noble lineage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ol
Among Census respondents with the surname Ol, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 29.5%. The next largest groups are White (23.8%) and Hispanic (16.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Ol bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ol surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander29.5% · 31
- White23.8% · 25
- Hispanic or Latino16.2% · 17
- Black or African American12.4% · 13
- Two or more races12.4% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native5.7% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ol
Ol appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-29 bearers (-21.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 35,714 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -29 bearers (-21.8%) | Down 35,714 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,055 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ol surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #152,989 | 2.0% |
| Count | 104 | 105 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ol bearers went from 104 to 105 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,989.
FAQ
Ol surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ol?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Ol. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Ol?
Ol ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Ol. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ol.
Has Ol become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ol went from 104 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Ol?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ol, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 29.5%. The next largest groups are White (23.8%) and Hispanic (16.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ol in the 2020 Census, accounting for 29.5% (31 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ol appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.5%), White (23.8%), Hispanic (16.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ol (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ol mean?
An Anglicized spelling of the Scandinavian surname meaning "descendant of Olle". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ol (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Ol?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Ol on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.