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

Olesen, 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 Olesen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olesen in America

Olesen is the 14881st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olesen surname appeared 1,988 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Olesen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olesen 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 Olesen

The surname Olesen is of Danish origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was originally derived from the given name of the father or ancestor. In this case, the name Olesen comes from the Danish personal name Ole, which is a variant of the Old Norse name Óláfr or Áleifr.

The name Óláfr is composed of two elements: the Old Norse word "anu" meaning "ancestor" and "leifr" meaning "descendant" or "heir." This suggests that the name Olesen may have its roots in a lineage or family line of significant standing or importance in ancient Danish society.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olesen can be found in the Danish Census of 1660, where it appears as a prominent surname in the region of Jutland. It is likely that the name had already been established in this area for several generations prior to this record.

In the 13th century, a prominent Danish nobleman named Olesen Galt is mentioned in historical records as a landowner and influential figure in the court of King Valdemar II. This suggests that the name Olesen was associated with social status and wealth during this time period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Olesen appears in various historical documents, including parish records and legal proceedings, across different regions of Denmark. This indicates that the name had spread and become more prevalent throughout the country.

Notable individuals with the surname Olesen include:

1. Olesen Bager (c. 1450-1515), a Danish clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Viborg from 1497 until his death.

2. Olesen Oxe (c. 1520-1586), a Danish statesman and naval admiral who played a significant role in the Northern Seven Years' War against Sweden.

3. Olesen Munk (c. 1550-1621), a Danish landowner and military commander known for his involvement in the Kalmar War against Sweden in the late 16th century.

4. Olesen Rosenkrantz (c. 1610-1675), a Danish nobleman and diplomat who served as the Danish ambassador to England and France during the reign of King Christian IV.

5. Olesen Adeler (c. 1670-1737), a Danish architect and military engineer who designed several notable buildings and fortifications in Copenhagen and other parts of Denmark.

Throughout its history, the surname Olesen has been associated with various place names and localities in Denmark, such as Olesen's Farm (Olesens Gård) and Olesen's Village (Olesens By), which further reinforces its deep roots in Danish culture and society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olesen

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

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

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

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