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

Olivas, 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 Olivas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olivas in America

Olivas is the 1785th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olivas surname appeared 20,106 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 Olivas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olivas 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 Olivas

The surname Olivas originates from Spain and is derived from the Spanish word "oliva," meaning "olive." This name likely originated during the Middle Ages in regions of Spain known for olive cultivation, such as Andalusia or Catalonia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Olivas surname can be found in the Repartimiento de Sevilla, a 13th-century document recording the distribution of land and properties after the Reconquista of Seville in 1248. This document mentions individuals with the surname Olivas who received land grants in the region.

In the 14th century, the Olivas surname appears in various historical records, such as the Crónica de Fernando IV, which mentions a knight named Martín Olivas who fought in the siege of Gibraltar in 1310.

During the 15th century, the Olivas family gained prominence in the Kingdom of Aragon. Rodrigo Olivas (1450-1520) was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Huesca and played a significant role in the Spanish Inquisition.

In the 16th century, the Olivas surname spread throughout the Spanish colonies in the Americas. One notable figure was Juan de Olivas (1498-1572), a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico and later became the governor of Tlaxcala.

Another notable person with the Olivas surname was Miguel de Olivas (1620-1685), a Spanish painter known for his religious works and portraits. His paintings can be found in various churches and museums across Spain.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the Olivas surname also spread to other parts of the world, including the Philippines. In the 18th century, Ignacio Olivas (1725-1798) was a prominent Spanish missionary who established several missions in the Philippines and played a significant role in the Christianization of the region.

Throughout history, the Olivas surname has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, military, religion, and the arts. Despite its widespread distribution, the name has maintained its connection to its Spanish roots and the symbolism of the olive tree.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olivas

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

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

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

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