2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Olerud
A surname of Norwegian origin meaning "ale meadow" or "oleander meadow".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 174 Americans carry the last name Olerud. That puts it at #120,164 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,969,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olerud 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
174
1 in 1,969,853
Census rank
#120,164
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
152
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 152 bearers of the surname Olerud in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 120164th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olerud, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Olerud
The surname Olerud has its origins in Norway, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse words "olr" meaning beer or ale, and "rudr" meaning clearing or open space, suggesting a connection to an area where ale was brewed or consumed.
Olerud is believed to have emerged as a surname in the mountainous regions of western Norway, particularly in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The earliest known records of the name date back to the 15th century, appearing in local parish registers and land deeds.
In the 16th century, variations of the spelling such as Ollerud, Øllerud, and Olrud can be found in historical documents from the Hardanger region of Hordaland. This area was known for its fertile valleys and thriving agricultural communities, lending credence to the name's connection with beer production and consumption.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Olerud was Inger Ollerudsdatter, born around 1550 in the village of Kinsarvik, Hardanger. Her son, Olav Ingersen Ollerud, born in 1585, is documented as inheriting the family farm, perpetuating the surname.
In the 17th century, the Olerud family expanded their presence in western Norway, with some members migrating to coastal towns like Bergen. Lars Olerud, born in 1632 in Voss, was a prominent merchant and ship-owner in Bergen, contributing to the city's maritime trade.
The 18th century saw the surname Olerud spread to other parts of Norway, particularly to the eastern regions around Oslo. Hans Olerud, born in 1745 in Voss, became a respected pastor in the town of Ullensaker, outside Oslo.
Throughout the 19th century, several notable individuals bore the Olerud surname. Ola Olerud, born in 1820 in Hardanger, was a renowned woodcarver and painter, renowned for his intricate designs on traditional Norwegian furniture and architecture. His son, Nils Olerud, born in 1857, followed in his footsteps as a master woodcarver, with his works displayed in museums across Norway.
In the 20th century, the name Olerud gained international recognition through John Olerud, born in 1968 in Seattle, Washington. A Major League Baseball player, Olerud spent most of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming a two-time World Series champion and a five-time Gold Glove Award winner.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olerud
Among Census respondents with the surname Olerud, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Olerud 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 Olerud surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1% · 143
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.6% · 4
- Two or more races2.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olerud
Olerud 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
#124,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
-6 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 11,581 places
2020
#120,164
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 152
+14 bearers (+10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 4,384 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #124,548 | 138 | 0.05 | -6 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 11,581 places |
| 2020 | #120,164 | 152 | 0.05 | +14 bearers (+10.1%) | Up 4,384 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 Olerud 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 | #124,548 | #120,164 | 3.5% |
| Count | 138 | 152 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olerud bearers went from 138 to 152 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 4,384 positions in the national ranking, going from #124,548 to #120,164.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Olerud
FAQ
Olerud surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olerud?
Name Census estimates that about 174 living Americans carry the surname Olerud. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,969,853 residents.
How common is Olerud?
Olerud ranks #120,164 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 152 people with the surname Olerud. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (174), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Olerud.
Has Olerud become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olerud went from 138 recorded bearers to 152. That is an increase of 14 (+10.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #124,548 to #120,164.
What does the Census say about the background of Olerud?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olerud, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Olerud in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.1% (143 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olerud appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Olerud (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 Olerud mean?
A surname of Norwegian origin meaning "ale meadow" or "oleander meadow". 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 Olerud (0.05 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 common is the surname Olerud?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Olerud on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.