Olazaba last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Olazaba

A Basque surname derived from the elements "olatz" meaning fern and "aba" meaning place or valley.

Olazaba, 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 Olazaba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olazaba in America

Olazaba is the 56588th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olazaba surname appeared 361 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Olazaba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olazaba 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 56588 76700 -30.18%
Count 361 233 43.10%
Proportion per 100k 0.12 0.09 28.57%

The history of the last name Olazaba

The surname Olazaba is of Basque origin, tracing its roots back to the northern regions of Spain and southwestern France. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries.

The name Olazaba is derived from the Basque words "ola," meaning "mill," and "zaha," which translates to "old." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or operated an old mill. Alternatively, it could have been a descriptor applied to someone who resided in an area known for its ancient mills.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olazaba can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the Basque region, where it appears as "Olazava." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized orthography had not yet been established.

In the late 15th century, the name Olazaba surfaced in a land registry from the town of Lekeitio, located in the Basque province of Biscay. This document listed several individuals bearing the surname, indicating that the name had already gained a foothold in the region by that time.

Among the notable individuals who carried the Olazaba surname throughout history is Juan de Olazaba, a 16th-century merchant and explorer from the Basque Country. Born in 1524, he was part of an expedition that explored the coasts of South America and the Caribbean, contributing to the expansion of Spanish trade routes.

Another prominent figure was MarĂ­a Olazaba, a 17th-century writer and poet from the town of Portugalete in Biscay. Her works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime and helped shed light on the intellectual and artistic contributions of Basque women.

In the 18th century, Pedro Olazaba, a skilled architect from the Basque region, gained recognition for his work on several notable churches and public buildings in northern Spain. His unique style, which blended Baroque and Neoclassical elements, left a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of the region.

The 19th century saw the rise of Ignacio Olazaba, a renowned educator and advocate for educational reform in Spain. Born in 1812 in the Basque town of Getxo, he dedicated his life to improving the quality of education and promoting the teaching of practical skills to underprivileged children.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Ana Olazaba, a talented painter from the Basque city of Bilbao, gained international acclaim for her vibrant and expressive landscapes and portraits. Her works were exhibited in various galleries across Europe and continue to be celebrated for their unique style and masterful use of color.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olazaba

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

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 Olazaba was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 4.71% 17
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 95.01% 343

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 Olazaba has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 4.71% 5.15% -8.92%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Hispanic 95.01% 94.42% 0.62%

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 Olazaba was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Olazaba last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/olazaba-surname-popularity/.

"Olazaba last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/olazaba-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Olazaba last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/olazaba-surname-popularity/.

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