2000
#5,021
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,412
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.38
Uncommon Last name
Olivera
A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Latin word "olivarius," meaning "olive tree grower or seller."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,380 Americans carry the last name Olivera. That puts it at #3,822 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,021 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olivera 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
10K
1 in 33,021
Census rank
#3,822
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.1K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,052 bearers of the surname Olivera in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3822nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Black (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olivera
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Black (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Olivera 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 Olivera surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino80.7% · 7,303
- White14.7% · 1,335
- Black or African American2.1% · 186
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 120
- Two or more races1.0% · 88
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olivera
Olivera 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
#3,896
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,108
+2,696 bearers (+42.0%)
Per 100,000 3.09
Rank movement Up 1,125 places
2020
#3,822
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,052
-56 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 3.03
Rank movement Up 74 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,021 | 6,412 | 2.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,896 | 9,108 | 3.09 | +2,696 bearers (+42.0%) | Up 1,125 places |
| 2020 | #3,822 | 9,052 | 3.03 | -56 bearers (-0.6%) | Up 74 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 Olivera 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 | #3,896 | #3,822 | 1.9% |
| Count | 9,108 | 9,052 | -0.6% |
| Per 100K | 3.09 | 3.03 | -2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olivera bearers went from 9,108 to 9,052 (-0.6% change). The surname moved up 74 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,896 to #3,822.
FAQ
Olivera surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olivera?
Name Census estimates that about 10,380 living Americans carry the surname Olivera. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,021 residents.
How common is Olivera?
Olivera ranks #3,822 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,052 people with the surname Olivera. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,380), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Olivera.
Has Olivera become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olivera went from 9,108 recorded bearers to 9,052. That is a decrease of 56 (-0.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,896 to #3,822.
What does the Census say about the background of Olivera?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivera, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 80.7%. The next largest groups are White (14.7%) and Black (2.1%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Olivera in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.7% (7,303 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olivera appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (80.7%), White (14.7%), Black (2.1%). 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 Olivera (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 Olivera mean?
A surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin, derived from the Latin word "olivarius," meaning "olive tree grower or seller." 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 Olivera (3.03 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 share the surname Olivera?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.