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

Oliveira, 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 Oliveira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oliveira in America

Oliveira is the 48060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oliveira surname appeared 440 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Oliveira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oliveira 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 Oliveira

The surname Oliveria originates from Portugal, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "oliveira," which means "olive tree," indicating that the name's bearers were likely associated with the cultivation or trade of olives in the region.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various Portuguese historical documents, such as the Portuguese Chronicles and royal decrees. One notable early reference can be found in the "Livro Velho das Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a 14th-century genealogical record that mentions the noble family of Oliveria from the town of Oliveira do Douro.

The earliest recorded individual with the surname Oliveria was Gonçalo Oliveria, a Portuguese nobleman born around 1230. He served as a military commander under King Afonso III and played a significant role in the Reconquista, the medieval Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Another prominent figure bearing this surname was João Oliveria, a 15th-century explorer and navigator from the town of Oliveira de Azeméis. He accompanied the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498, contributing to the establishment of the Portuguese maritime empire in the Indian Ocean.

In the 16th century, the Oliveria family gained prominence in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. One notable member was Estêvão Oliveria, born in 1535 in Lisbon, who became a wealthy landowner and sugar plantation owner in Pernambuco, Brazil.

During the 17th century, the name Oliveria was also found in Spain, where it was sometimes spelled "Oliveria" or "Oliberia." One notable Spanish figure with this surname was Diego Oliveria, a renowned architect born in Seville in 1620, who designed several churches and palaces in Andalusia.

Throughout history, the surname Oliveria has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, military service, exploration, and architecture. It has also been carried by individuals from different social strata, ranging from noblemen and landowners to artisans and tradesmen.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oliveira

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

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

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

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