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

Olley, 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 Olley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olley in America

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

The Olley 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 Olley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olley 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 Olley

The surname Olley is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place called Olleye or Olley, which was likely a small hamlet or village in one of the English counties.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Olley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the exact entry is unclear, it suggests that the name may have been associated with a particular location or landholding.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Olleye, Olle, and Ollie, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography at the time. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the phonetic interpretation of the name by scribes and record-keepers.

One notable early bearer of the surname Olley was Sir John Olley (c. 1358-1418), a prominent English landowner and knight who served under King Henry IV. Sir John's descendants continued to hold estates in various parts of England, contributing to the spread and recognition of the Olley name.

Another influential figure bearing the Olley surname was William Olley (c. 1530-1599), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Elizabethan era. His commercial activities and civic involvement helped establish the Olley family as a respected and prosperous name in the capital.

In the 17th century, the name Olley was also found in various parish records and court documents, indicating its continued presence across different regions of England. One such example is Thomas Olley (1621-1688), a prominent clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Bride's Church in London.

As the centuries progressed, the Olley surname continued to be associated with various professions and trades, from agriculture and artisanry to law and academia. Notable individuals include Sir Joseph Olley (1788-1859), a respected judge and legal scholar, and Robert Olley (1823-1893), a renowned English botanist and horticulturist.

While the origins of the Olley surname can be traced back to medieval England, its bearers have since spread across the globe, carrying with them the rich history and legacy of this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olley

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Olley, 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!