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

Olen, 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 Olen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olen in America

Olen is the 32935th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olen surname appeared 696 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 Olen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olen 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 Olen

The surname Olen has its origins in Northern Europe, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the Scandinavian regions, where it was likely derived from an Old Norse word meaning "elk" or "deer." This connection to the natural world and wildlife was common in many early surnames, which often reflected occupations, physical attributes, or locations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Olen surname can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript detailing the settlement of Iceland in the 9th and 10th centuries. This document mentions an individual named Ólafr Olen, suggesting that the name had already gained recognition in that region by that time.

As the name spread across Northern Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Ohlen, Oelen, and Oehlen. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and linguistic shifts over time.

In the 13th century, the Olen name appeared in the Liber Censualis, a record of landowners and tenants in the County of Flanders (modern-day Belgium and northern France). This document listed several individuals bearing the Olen surname, indicating that the name had established a presence in this region as well.

One notable figure in the history of the Olen surname was Albrecht Olen, a German painter and engraver who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Born in Nuremberg around 1460, Olen was known for his intricate woodcut illustrations, which adorned various religious texts and publications of his time.

Another individual of historical significance was Jan Olen, a Dutch merchant and explorer who lived in the 17th century. Olen was part of the Dutch East India Company and is credited with establishing trade routes and settlements in the East Indies (modern-day Indonesia).

In the realm of literature, the Olen surname found representation in the works of the 19th-century Danish writer, Steen Steensen Blicher. His novel "The Parson of Veilbye" featured a character named Niels Olen, a farmer who played a pivotal role in the story's narrative.

The Olen surname also had a presence in the British Isles, as evidenced by the birth of William Olen in Gloucestershire, England, in 1746. Olen went on to become a respected figure in the local community, serving as a magistrate and landowner in the region.

While the Olen surname may have evolved and diversified over the centuries, its roots remain firmly planted in the rich tapestry of Northern European history, carrying with it echoes of ancient folklore, exploration, and artistic expression.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olen

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

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

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

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