2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Olayan
A name potentially derived from the Arabic word "alayin" meaning "to ascend" or "to rise up".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Olayan. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olayan 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Olayan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olayan, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (32.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Olayan
The surname OLAYAN is of Arabic origin, rooted in the Middle Eastern region. It traces its beginnings to the ancient Semitic languages and is believed to have derived from the Arabic word "Ala," meaning "elevated" or "high," potentially referencing a place of geographical elevation or social status.
The earliest known records of the OLAYAN name can be found in historical manuscripts and documents from the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is thought to have originated among the nomadic Bedouin tribes of the desert regions, where family names were often tied to geographical locations or tribal affiliations.
During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th centuries, the OLAYAN name gained prominence in various parts of the Middle East. Several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged, including Abu Bakr al-Olayan, a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist who lived in the 9th century CE and contributed significantly to the development of Islamic jurisprudence.
As the Arabic civilization expanded and trade routes flourished, the OLAYAN name spread across various regions, including parts of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. In the 12th century, during the Reconquista period in Spain, there are records of individuals with the OLAYAN surname residing in the city of Seville, which was under Moorish rule at the time.
One of the earliest documented references to the OLAYAN name can be found in the "Kitab al-Ansab" (Book of Genealogies), a comprehensive work compiled by the Arab historian and genealogist Al-Sam'ani in the 11th century CE. This text provides valuable insights into the lineage and ancestry of various Arab families, including those bearing the OLAYAN surname.
Throughout history, several prominent figures have carried the OLAYAN surname, including:
1. Ahmad al-Olayan (1908-1976), a Saudi Arabian diplomat and businessman who served as the ambassador to the United States and played a crucial role in the development of Saudi-American relations.
2. Lubna Olayan (born 1955), a Saudi businesswoman and one of the most influential women in the Middle East, serving as the CEO of the Olayan Financing Company, a leading conglomerate in the region.
3. Khalid al-Olayan (1886-1963), a renowned Saudi Arabian scholar and poet, known for his contributions to the preservation of Arabic literature and culture.
4. Abdullah al-Olayan (1901-1984), a Saudi Arabian merchant and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the city of Al-Khobar and supported various educational and charitable initiatives.
5. Nasser al-Olayan (1932-2020), a prominent Saudi Arabian businessman and investor, who served as the chairman of the Olayan Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the Middle East.
These are just a few examples of the numerous individuals who have carried the OLAYAN surname throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields, from literature and academia to diplomacy and business.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olayan
Among Census respondents with the surname Olayan, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (32.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Olayan 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 Olayan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White48.1% · 51
- Two or more races32.1% · 34
- Asian and Pacific Islander13.2% · 14
- Hispanic or Latino6.6% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olayan
Olayan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+6 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,636 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+6.0%) | Up 8,636 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 Olayan 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 | #160,975 | #152,339 | 5.4% |
| Count | 100 | 106 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olayan bearers went from 100 to 106 (+6.0% change). The surname moved up 8,636 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #152,339.
FAQ
Olayan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olayan?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Olayan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Olayan?
Olayan ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Olayan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Olayan.
Has Olayan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olayan went from 100 recorded bearers to 106. That is an increase of 6 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Olayan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olayan, the largest self-reported group is White at 48.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (32.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Olayan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.1% (51 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olayan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (48.1%), Two or More Races (32.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (13.2%). 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 Olayan (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 Olayan mean?
A name potentially derived from the Arabic word "alayin" meaning "to ascend" or "to rise up". 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 Olayan (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 share the surname Olayan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.