2000
#5,706
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,572
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.07
Rare Last name
Olinger
Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "od," meaning "wealth," and "ger," meaning "spear."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,251 Americans carry the last name Olinger. That puts it at #6,052 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.82 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 54,832 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olinger 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
6.3K
1 in 54,832
Census rank
#6,052
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,451 bearers of the surname Olinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.82 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6052nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Black (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Olinger
The surname Olinger is of German origin, and it first emerged in the 12th century in the region of Bavaria. The name is derived from the Old High German word "olbinga," which means "elk." It is believed that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a place where elks were found or to someone who hunted elks.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Olinger can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the medieval Kingdom of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. In this document, a person named "Henricus Olinger" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.
The Olinger family is believed to have originated from the town of Ollingerberg, located in the Bavarian region of Germany. The town's name is derived from the surname, suggesting that the Olinger family may have played a significant role in the establishment or ownership of the town.
During the 16th century, the Olinger family gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where several members were involved in the trading and crafting industries. One notable figure from this time was Hans Olinger (1501-1567), a renowned goldsmith and jeweler who created intricate works of art for nobility and wealthy patrons.
In the 17th century, the Olinger name spread across Europe as many families migrated to other regions. Johann Olinger (1625-1698), a German theologian and philosopher, was a prominent figure during this period. He taught at several universities and published numerous works on religious and philosophical topics.
As the Olinger family continued to expand, some members achieved notable accomplishments in various fields. For example, Friedrich Olinger (1786-1856) was a German painter and engraver who specialized in landscapes and religious scenes. His works were widely exhibited and praised during his lifetime.
Another noteworthy individual with the Olinger surname was Marie Olinger (1892-1968), a French novelist and playwright. She was known for her works that explored themes of love, family, and societal issues. Her novel "Le Coeur et l'ombre" (The Heart and the Shadow) received critical acclaim and established her reputation as a prominent writer of her time.
While the Olinger surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, where it is still found today. The name has evolved over time, with variations such as Ollinger, Ohlinger, and Oellinger, reflecting regional and linguistic influences.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Olinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Black (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Olinger 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 Olinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6% · 4,829
- Two or more races4.6% · 253
- Black or African American3.2% · 173
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 137
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 40
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olinger
Olinger 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
#5,998
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,732
+160 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 1.94
Rank movement Down 292 places
2020
#6,052
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,451
-281 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 1.82
Rank movement Down 54 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,706 | 5,572 | 2.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,998 | 5,732 | 1.94 | +160 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 292 places |
| 2020 | #6,052 | 5,451 | 1.82 | -281 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 54 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 Olinger 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 | #5,998 | #6,052 | -0.9% |
| Count | 5,732 | 5,451 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.94 | 1.82 | -6.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olinger bearers went from 5,732 to 5,451 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 54 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,998 to #6,052.
FAQ
Olinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olinger?
Name Census estimates that about 6,251 living Americans carry the surname Olinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 54,832 residents.
How common is Olinger?
Olinger ranks #6,052 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.82 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,451 people with the surname Olinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,251), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.82 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.82 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Olinger.
Has Olinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olinger went from 5,732 recorded bearers to 5,451. That is a decrease of 281 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,998 to #6,052.
What does the Census say about the background of Olinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Black (3.2%). 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 Olinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.6% (4,829 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.6%), Two or More Races (4.6%), Black (3.2%). 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 Olinger (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 Olinger mean?
Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "od," meaning "wealth," and "ger," meaning "spear." 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 Olinger (1.82 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 Americans have the surname Olinger?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.