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

Oliney, 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 Oliney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oliney in America

Oliney is the 146201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oliney surname appeared 113 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 Oliney.

The history of the last name Oliney

The surname Oliney is of English origin, first appearing in records from the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "olin" or "olen," meaning ash tree. This suggests that the name may have originated as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near an ash tree or an ash grove.

The earliest known record of the surname Oliney dates back to 1592, when a John Oliney was mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. It is possible that the name was originally a variant spelling of the more common surname "Olleney," which was found in the same region during that time period.

In the 17th century, the name Oliney appeared in the records of several villages in Oxfordshire, such as Banbury and Chipping Norton. One notable instance was the birth of Elizabeth Oliney in 1632, recorded in the parish registers of Chipping Norton.

During the 18th century, the Oliney surname was particularly prevalent in the village of Shenington, Oxfordshire. In 1748, a Thomas Oliney was recorded as a landowner in the village, and his descendants continued to live in the area for several generations.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Oliney surname was William Oliney, born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1612. He was a respected member of the local community and served as a church warden in the 1650s.

Another notable individual with the Oliney surname was John Oliney, born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in 1742. He was a successful merchant and served as a local magistrate during the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Oliney family spread to other parts of England, with some members settling in London and other major cities. One prominent figure was Charles Oliney, born in Shenington in 1813, who became a successful businessman and philanthropist in the city of Birmingham.

While not as common today, the Oliney surname can still be found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, where it has its deepest historical roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oliney

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

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 Oliney 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.

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

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

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