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

Oliva, 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 Oliva surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oliva in America

Oliva is the 1835th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oliva surname appeared 19,513 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Oliva.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oliva 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 Oliva

The surname Oliva is of Italian origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period. Historically, it was prevalent in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Liguria, and Sicily. The name is believed to derive from the Latin word "oliva," which means "olive," suggesting a connection to olive cultivation or olive-related trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Oliva can be found in the Codice Diplomatico della Lombardia Medievale, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Lombardy. In this collection, there is a record from the 12th century mentioning an individual named Guglielmo Oliva, indicating the surname's presence during that time.

In the 13th century, the name Oliva appeared in the Rationes Decimarum Italiae, a series of records related to the collection of tithes in various Italian states. These records mention several individuals with the surname Oliva residing in different parts of Italy, such as Tuscany and Sicily.

The Oliva surname has been associated with several notable historical figures over the centuries. One such figure was Giovanni Oliva, a Franciscan friar and theologian who lived from 1248 to 1322. He was a prominent figure within the Franciscan Order and authored several influential works on theology and mysticism.

Another notable individual with the surname Oliva was Gaspare Oliva, an Italian painter and engraver who lived from 1505 to 1587. He was known for his religious paintings and worked extensively in churches and monasteries throughout Italy.

In the 16th century, the name Oliva can be found in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, where an individual named Diego de Oliva was tried for alleged heretical beliefs. This connection suggests that the surname had also spread to Spain during that period.

During the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Oliva was Nicolò Oliva, an Italian composer and violinist who lived from around 1610 to 1680. He was a prominent figure in the musical life of Venice and composed various works for the violin.

In the 18th century, the surname Oliva gained prominence in the field of science with the Italian naturalist and botanist Giuseppe Oliva, who lived from 1769 to 1845. He made significant contributions to the study of botany and published several works on the flora of Italy.

While the surname Oliva has maintained its presence across various regions of Italy throughout history, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with strong Italian immigration or cultural influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oliva

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

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

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

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