2000
#21,025
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,165
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
Oler
A German surname meaning "an oiler", one who worked with oil lamps or lubricated machinery.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,446 Americans carry the last name Oler. That puts it at #21,177 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 237,036 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oler surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.4K
1 in 237,036
Census rank
#21,177
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,261 bearers of the surname Oler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21177th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oler, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oler
The surname Oler has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "olr," which referred to a person who worked with oil or fat. The earliest known spelling variations include Ölner, Oller, and Ölner.
During the Middle Ages, the name Oler appeared in various German chronicles and manuscripts. One notable reference can be found in the Annals of Cologne from the year 1287, which mentions an "Ulricus Oler" as a merchant dealing in olive oil and other specialty goods.
In the 16th century, the name Oler was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. Records from this time show several individuals bearing the surname, including Hans Oler (1512-1582), a renowned glassblower from Nuremberg, and Anna Maria Oler (1541-1611), a respected midwife in the town of Freiberg.
As the surname spread across Europe, it took on different spellings and variations. In France, the name appeared as Olier, with Jacques Olier (1608-1657) being a prominent figure in the Catholic reform movement and the founder of the Sulpician Order.
In the Netherlands, the name was documented as Oler or Olers, with Pieter Olers (1632-1698) becoming a renowned painter and etcher known for his landscapes and cityscapes.
Moving into the 18th century, the Oler surname continued to be found in various parts of Germany, with notable individuals including Johann Christoph Oler (1701-1778), a respected theologian and author from Saxony, and Maria Theresia Oler (1745-1812), a philanthropist from Bavaria who established several schools and orphanages.
In the 19th century, the name Oler spread to other parts of Europe and North America through immigration. One notable figure from this time was Carl Oler (1825-1901), a German-American artist and lithographer who gained recognition for his depictions of the American West.
Throughout its history, the surname Oler has been associated with various occupations and professions, from merchants and artisans to scholars and artists. While its origins can be traced back to Germany, the name has taken root in many countries and cultures, reflecting the diverse tapestry of human migration and settlement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oler
Among Census respondents with the surname Oler, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Oler bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Oler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.9% · 1,083
- Black or African American5.2% · 65
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 58
- Two or more races3.7% · 47
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oler
Oler appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#22,216
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,161
-4 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.39
Rank movement Down 1,191 places
2020
#21,177
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,261
+100 bearers (+8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Up 1,039 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,025 | 1,165 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,216 | 1,161 | 0.39 | -4 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 1,191 places |
| 2020 | #21,177 | 1,261 | 0.42 | +100 bearers (+8.6%) | Up 1,039 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Oler surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,216 | #21,177 | 4.7% |
| Count | 1,161 | 1,261 | 8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.39 | 0.42 | 8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oler bearers went from 1,161 to 1,261 (+8.6% change). The surname moved up 1,039 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,216 to #21,177.
FAQ
Oler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oler?
Name Census estimates that about 1,446 living Americans carry the surname Oler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 237,036 residents.
How common is Oler?
Oler ranks #21,177 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,261 people with the surname Oler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,446), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Oler.
Has Oler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oler went from 1,161 recorded bearers to 1,261. That is an increase of 100 (+8.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #22,216 to #21,177.
What does the Census say about the background of Oler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oler, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.9%. The next largest groups are Black (5.2%) and Hispanic (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Oler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.9% (1,083 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.9%), Black (5.2%), Hispanic (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Oler (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Oler mean?
A German surname meaning "an oiler", one who worked with oil lamps or lubricated machinery. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Oler (0.42 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Oler?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.