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

Olig, 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 Olig surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olig in America

Olig is the 77012th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olig surname appeared 249 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 Olig.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olig 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 Olig

The surname OLIG originates from Germany, first appearing in records around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "oli" or "ole," meaning "olive tree" or "oil." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked with olives or olive oil.

The earliest recorded examples of the name OLIG can be found in medieval German documents, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which dates back to the 12th century. One notable mention is Johannes Olig, a landowner from Saxony who was documented in the codex in 1287.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Olige," "Olyge," and "Olighe," reflecting regional spelling variations. During this period, the OLIG surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname OLIG was Heinrich Olig, a merchant from Nuremberg, who was born around 1380. He is mentioned in several trade records from the late 14th and early 15th centuries.

In the 16th century, the name OLIG began to spread across other parts of Germany, and it can be found in records from cities like Cologne and Hamburg. During this time, a notable bearer of the name was Johannes Olig (1512-1583), a Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony.

In the 17th century, the OLIG surname was also present in parts of what is now Austria and Switzerland. One notable figure from this era was Anna Maria Olig (1635-1712), a writer and philanthropist from Zurich, who is remembered for her support of educational institutions and charitable organizations.

Another significant individual with the surname OLIG was Johann Georg Olig (1738-1811), a German composer and organist who was born in Nuremberg and spent most of his career in the service of the Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth.

As the OLIG surname spread across Europe, it also made its way to other countries, including the United States, where it can be traced back to German immigrants in the 19th century. One notable American with this surname was William Olig (1858-1932), a businessman and politician from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olig

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

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

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

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