2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Oliveaux
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "olives" or "olive trees".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Oliveaux. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Oliveaux 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Oliveaux in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Oliveaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Oliveaux
The surname Oliveaux is of French origin, originating from the northwestern region of Normandy during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "olive," meaning olive tree, and the diminutive suffix "-eau," indicating a small or little one. This suggests that the name may have originally been used to describe someone who lived near or was associated with an olive grove or orchard.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Oliveaux name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Oliveaux, residing in the county of Dorset. This provides evidence that individuals bearing this surname had established themselves in England shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
During the 13th century, the Oliveaux family appeared in various records and charters from the region of Normandy. Notable members included Jehan Oliveaux, a merchant and landowner from the town of Caen, who was involved in trade disputes recorded in the local archives from 1275.
In the 15th century, the Oliveaux name appeared in the historical records of the city of Rouen, where a branch of the family had settled. One prominent figure was Guillaume Oliveaux (1428-1503), a respected lawyer and jurist who served as a magistrate in the local courts.
Another significant individual was Marguerite Oliveaux (1560-1638), a French noblewoman and philanthropist from the Normandy region. She was known for her generous contributions to the construction of churches and support for charitable causes in her community.
During the 17th century, the Oliveaux family expanded its presence in other parts of France, including the regions of Brittany and Poitou. One notable member was Jacques Oliveaux (1625-1692), a wealthy merchant and shipowner from the port city of La Rochelle, who played a role in the lucrative trade with the French colonies in the Caribbean.
In the 19th century, a branch of the Oliveaux family emigrated to the United States, where they settled in the state of Louisiana. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Pierre Oliveaux (1812-1887), a French immigrant who became a successful plantation owner and businessman in the New Orleans area.
Throughout its history, the Oliveaux surname has been associated with various professions and social classes, from merchants and lawyers to landowners and nobility. While its origins can be traced back to the Norman region of France, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the diverse journeys and experiences of those who have carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Oliveaux
Among Census respondents with the surname Oliveaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Oliveaux 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 Oliveaux surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.4% · 107
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Oliveaux
Oliveaux 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,999 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,999 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 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 Oliveaux 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 | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Oliveaux bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Oliveaux surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Oliveaux?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Oliveaux. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Oliveaux?
Oliveaux ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Oliveaux. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Oliveaux.
Has Oliveaux become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Oliveaux went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Oliveaux?
Among Census respondents with the surname Oliveaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Oliveaux in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Oliveaux appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.4%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Oliveaux (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 Oliveaux mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "olives" or "olive trees". 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 Oliveaux (0.04 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 people are called Oliveaux?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Oliveaux, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.