2000
#3,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,262
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.06
Uncommon Last name
Olivo
Derived from the Italian word for "olive," likely referring to someone who cultivated olive trees or lived near an olive grove.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,490 Americans carry the last name Olivo. That puts it at #3,231 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,442 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olivo 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
12K
1 in 27,442
Census rank
#3,231
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,892 bearers of the surname Olivo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3231st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 82.2%. The next largest groups are White (15.8%) and Black (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Olivo
The surname Olivo is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "olivo" meaning "olive tree." It is believed to have originated in the regions of Italy known for olive cultivation, such as Tuscany, Lazio, and Umbria, during the medieval period.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Olivo can be traced back to the 13th century in various Italian municipalities and records. One notable mention is found in the "Libro delle Portate" (Book of Taxes) of the city of Bologna, dated 1285, where the name Olivo is listed among taxpayers.
In the 14th century, the surname Olivo appears in the records of the Republic of Venice, where a merchant named Giovanni Olivo is mentioned in a trade agreement with the city of Genoa in 1341. This suggests that the surname had already spread to other parts of Italy by this time.
During the Renaissance period, the name Olivo gained prominence with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Gian Paolo Olivo (1474-1537), an Italian architect and sculptor who worked on several notable projects, including the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
Another distinguished bearer of the surname was Girolamo Olivo (1550-1625), a Venetian philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of optics and the development of the telescope.
In the 17th century, the Olivo family established themselves in the Kingdom of Naples, where they were recognized as part of the nobility. One prominent member was Giuseppe Olivo (1632-1705), a military commander who served in the Neapolitan army during the War of the Spanish Succession.
The surname Olivo also found its way to other parts of Europe, such as Spain and France, where it was adapted to local spellings like Olivó and Ollivier, respectively. In France, the name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Provence and Languedoc, where olive cultivation was an important agricultural activity.
Throughout history, the surname Olivo has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, trade, artistry, and military service, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olivo
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 82.2%. The next largest groups are White (15.8%) and Black (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Olivo 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 Olivo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino82.2% · 8,953
- White15.8% · 1,725
- Black or African American0.7% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 75
- Two or more races0.4% · 49
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olivo
Olivo 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
#3,412
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,483
+2,221 bearers (+26.9%)
Per 100,000 3.55
Rank movement Up 536 places
2020
#3,231
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,892
+409 bearers (+3.9%)
Per 100,000 3.64
Rank movement Up 181 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,948 | 8,262 | 3.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,412 | 10,483 | 3.55 | +2,221 bearers (+26.9%) | Up 536 places |
| 2020 | #3,231 | 10,892 | 3.64 | +409 bearers (+3.9%) | Up 181 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 Olivo 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 | #3,412 | #3,231 | 5.3% |
| Count | 10,483 | 10,892 | 3.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.55 | 3.64 | 2.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olivo bearers went from 10,483 to 10,892 (+3.9% change). The surname moved up 181 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,412 to #3,231.
FAQ
Olivo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olivo?
Name Census estimates that about 12,490 living Americans carry the surname Olivo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,442 residents.
How common is Olivo?
Olivo ranks #3,231 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.64 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,892 people with the surname Olivo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,490), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.64 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Olivo.
Has Olivo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olivo went from 10,483 recorded bearers to 10,892. That is an increase of 409 (+3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,412 to #3,231.
What does the Census say about the background of Olivo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olivo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 82.2%. The next largest groups are White (15.8%) and Black (0.7%). 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 Olivo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.2% (8,953 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olivo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (82.2%), White (15.8%), Black (0.7%). 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 Olivo (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 Olivo mean?
Derived from the Italian word for "olive," likely referring to someone who cultivated olive trees or lived near an olive grove. 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 Olivo (3.64 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 Olivo?
Want to know how many people have the last name Olivo? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.