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

Olivera, 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 Olivera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olivera in America

Olivera is the 3896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olivera surname appeared 9,108 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Olivera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olivera 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 Olivera

The surname Olivera is of Spanish origin, deriving from the Latin word "olivarius," meaning "olive grower" or "dealer in olives." It is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, specifically in regions known for their olive cultivation, such as Andalusia and Catalonia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Olivera can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in medieval documents from the Catalonian region. During this period, surnames began to emerge as a means of distinguishing individuals from different families or professions.

In the 14th century, the name Olivera was found in various historical records, including the Book of Catalonian Nobles, which documented notable families and their coats of arms. This suggests that the Olivera family held a prominent position within the societal ranks of the time.

As the surname spread across Spain and its territories, variations in spelling emerged, such as Oliveira, Olivares, and Oliveros. These variations often reflected regional dialects or were influenced by the scribes who recorded the names.

One notable figure bearing the Olivera surname was Juan Olivera (1540-1612), a Spanish navigator and explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation voyage. Olivera played a crucial role in charting the Pacific Ocean and discovering several islands in the South Pacific.

Another notable individual was Francisco Olivera y Díaz (1677-1741), a Spanish artist renowned for his religious paintings and murals adorning numerous churches across Andalusia.

In the 19th century, Pedro Olivera Ríos (1822-1898) was a prominent Chilean statesman and politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a significant role in resolving territorial disputes with neighboring countries.

The surname Olivera also found its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization period. One notable figure from this era was Juan Olivera y Bustamante (1558-1623), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru and later became a prominent landowner in the Viceroyalty of Peru.

In more recent times, Gonzalo Olivera (1921-2001) was a renowned Uruguayan writer and journalist, known for his novels and short stories that explored the complexities of human relationships and societal issues.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Olivera has a rich history spanning centuries and continents, reflecting the diverse cultural and geographical influences that have shaped its identity over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olivera

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!