Find out how popular the last name Olalde is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Olalde.

Olalde, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Olalde surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olalde in America

Olalde is the 15255th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olalde surname appeared 1,927 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Olalde.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olalde to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Olalde

The surname Olalde is of Spanish origin, specifically from the Basque region. It is believed to have emerged in the medieval era, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Basque word "olalde," which means "meadow" or "pasture land."

Olalde was initially a topographic surname, indicating that the initial bearers of the name lived near or owned land with meadows or pastures. This type of surname was common in the Basque Country, where the landscape played a significant role in the naming traditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olalde can be found in the "Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla," a 12th-century manuscript that contains various legal documents and records from the region. The name appears in several charters and land grants, suggesting that the Olaldes were landowners or prominent figures in their communities.

In the 14th century, records show that a nobleman named Juan de Olalde was a member of the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1311-1350). This indicates that the Olalde family had gained social standing and influence during that time.

Another notable figure bearing the Olalde surname was Pedro de Olalde, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He was part of the expedition led by Hernán Cortés and played a role in the fall of the Aztec Empire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Olalde name was closely associated with the town of Olalde (now known as Olaldea) in the province of Gipuzkoa, Basque Country. This place name likely derived from the same root as the surname, reinforcing the connection between the Olaldes and the pasture lands.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the Olalde surname include José Antonio Olalde (1923-2008), a Spanish playwright and screenwriter, and Javier Olalde (born 1963), a Spanish football player who played for clubs like Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid.

Throughout its history, the surname Olalde has maintained its connection to the Basque region and its cultural heritage. While variations in spelling may have occurred over time, the core meaning and origins of the name remain rooted in the pastoral landscapes of northern Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olalde

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Olalde.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Olalde was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Olalde has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Olalde was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Olalde, please contact us.

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