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

Olech, 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 Olech surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olech in America

Olech is the 56073rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olech surname appeared 365 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 Olech.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olech 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 Olech

The surname Olech originates from Poland, where it first appeared in the 16th century. It is derived from the Polish word "oliwa," which means "olive oil." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked with olive oil or traded in it.

The earliest known record of the Olech name dates back to 1567, when it appeared in a document from the town of Krakow. During this time, surnames were still relatively new in Poland, and many were based on occupations, nicknames, or places of origin.

By the 17th century, the Olech name had spread to other parts of Poland, including the regions of Silesia and Pomerania. It is mentioned in several church records and land registries from that era, indicating that the Olech family had established themselves as landowners and members of the gentry class.

One notable bearer of the Olech name was Jan Olech (1492-1565), a Polish nobleman and landowner who served as a courtier to King Sigismund I the Old. He is mentioned in several historical accounts and court documents from the 16th century.

Another significant figure was Andrzej Olech (1623-1677), a Polish mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the development of calculus and the study of planetary motion. He was a professor at the University of Krakow and published several influential works during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the Olech surname appeared in the records of several Polish uprisings against foreign rule, including the November Uprising of 1830-1831 and the January Uprising of 1863-1864. This suggests that members of the Olech family were involved in the struggle for Polish independence.

One such individual was Wladyslaw Olech (1810-1879), a Polish military officer who fought in the November Uprising and later emigrated to France after the uprising's suppression. He is remembered as a patriot and defender of Polish freedom.

Another notable figure was Maria Olech (1856-1932), a Polish writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education. She was a member of the Polish Positivist movement and published several novels and short stories that explored social issues of the time.

While the Olech surname is not as common as some other Polish names, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and includes individuals who made significant contributions to various fields, including science, literature, and the struggle for Polish independence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olech

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!