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

Olena, 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 Olena surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olena in America

Olena is the 80678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olena surname appeared 235 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 Olena.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olena 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 Olena

The surname Olena has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically in Ukraine. It is believed to have derived from the Greek name Olena, which means "light" or "shining one." This name was popularized in the region during the Byzantine Empire's influence in the area.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Olena can be traced back to the 16th century in the historical region of Galicia, which is now part of modern-day western Ukraine and southeastern Poland. It is likely that the name was initially used as a patronymic, indicating a familial connection to an ancestor named Olena.

In the 17th century, the surname Olena appeared in various church records and census documents in the cities of Lviv and Ternopil, which were important cultural and economic centers in the region at the time. This suggests that the name had spread and gained popularity among the local population.

One notable figure bearing the surname Olena was Ivan Olena (1805-1875), a Ukrainian writer and poet who played a significant role in the development of modern Ukrainian literature. He was born in the village of Zhuravnyky, which was then part of the Austrian Empire.

Another prominent individual with the surname Olena was Mykhailo Olena (1857-1914), a Ukrainian politician and statesman who served as a member of the Austrian Imperial Council, representing the interests of Ukrainians in Galicia.

In the late 19th century, the surname Olena could also be found in various records from the region of Bukovyna, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One example is Yuriy Olena (1873-1954), a Ukrainian lawyer and political activist who advocated for the rights of Ukrainians in Bukovyna.

As Ukrainian immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, such as Canada and the United States, the surname Olena was carried with them. One notable figure in this context was Oleksiy Olena (1888-1967), a Ukrainian-Canadian community leader and educator who played a pivotal role in preserving Ukrainian culture and language in Canada.

While the surname Olena may have variations in spelling, such as Olena or Olenyuk, its roots can be traced back to the Ukrainian region, where it has been prevalent for several centuries. The name carries a rich cultural heritage and has been borne by prominent figures throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olena

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

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

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

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