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

Oldendorf, 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 Oldendorf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oldendorf in America

Oldendorf is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oldendorf surname appeared 174 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 Oldendorf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oldendorf 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 Oldendorf

The surname Oldendorf originates from Germany and dates back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German words 'old' meaning 'old' and 'dorf' meaning 'village', likely referring to someone who lived in an older or ancient village.

The name was initially concentrated in the northern German regions, particularly in the areas around modern-day Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Early records show variations in spelling, including Oldendorff, Oldendorffe, and Oldendorpher.

One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the 1589 tax records of the town of Lüneburg, which mention a 'Hans Oldendorf'. Another notable early record is from 1612, where a 'Gerd Oldendorf' is listed as a resident of the village of Oldendorf, near the town of Stade.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various church records and municipal documents across northern Germany. A prominent figure bearing the name was Johann Oldendorf (1588-1667), a Lutheran theologian and author who served as a pastor in Lübeck.

As the name spread, it became associated with several localities, including the village of Oldendorf in Lower Saxony and the town of Oldendorf in North Rhine-Westphalia. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Other notable individuals with the surname Oldendorf include:

1. Heinrich Oldendorf (1740-1819), a German merchant and landowner in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
2. Friedrich Oldendorf (1807-1878), a German painter and lithographer known for his landscapes.
3. Marie Oldendorf (1824-1902), a German novelist and children's book author.
4. Wilhelm Oldendorf (1871-1936), a German architect and urban planner active in Berlin.
5. Hans Oldendorf (1891-1965), a German physicist and pioneer in the field of X-ray crystallography.

While the surname Oldendorf has its roots in northern Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oldendorf

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

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

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

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