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

Oliphant, 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 Oliphant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oliphant in America

Oliphant is the 5931st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oliphant surname appeared 5,808 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Oliphant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oliphant 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 Oliphant

The surname Oliphant has its origins in Scotland, derived from the Old French word "oliphant," which referred to an elephant or an elephant's tusk used as a hunting horn. The name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was first recorded in the region of Fife, Scotland.

One of the earliest known references to the name Oliphant can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of homages sworn to King Edward I of England. In this document, several individuals with the surname Oliphant are listed, indicating their presence in Scotland during that time period.

The Oliphant family was prominent in Scottish history, with members holding important positions and lands. One notable figure was Sir Walter Oliphant (c. 1312-1381), a Scottish knight who served as Lord High Admiral of Scotland and fought in the Battle of Neville's Cross during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

Another significant individual was Laurence Oliphant (1691-1767), a Scottish Jacobite and writer who played a role in the Jacobite risings of the 18th century. He is best known for his work "A Short Account of the Revolutionary Families," which provides insights into the lives of Jacobite families during that tumultuous period.

The name Oliphant has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Oliphant's Vennel in Fife and Oliphant's Land in Edinburgh, further reflecting the family's historical significance and connections to specific locations.

In addition to Scotland, the surname Oliphant has been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of the Scottish diaspora. One example is Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897), a Scottish novelist and historical writer who was highly regarded during the Victorian era.

Throughout history, the surname Oliphant has been borne by numerous individuals, including Sir William Oliphant (1756-1828), a British politician and diplomat, and Laurence Oliphant (1829-1888), a British writer, traveler, and mystic who was closely associated with the spiritualist movement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oliphant

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

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

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

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