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

Olliff, 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 Olliff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olliff in America

Olliff is the 41959th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olliff surname appeared 518 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 Olliff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olliff 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 Olliff

The surname Olliff is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name Ælflæd, which means "elf counselor" or "elf leader." The name may also have been influenced by the Old Norse name Anlaf or Olaf.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Olliff dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Olfelm. This suggests that the name was already in use in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as Olfed, Olfeth, and Olfeth, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. Some of these early spellings may have been influenced by the Old French name Olifard, which was derived from the Germanic name Olaf.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Olliff began to appear in its more modern form, with spellings like Ollyffe and Ollyfe. One notable example is John Ollyffe, who was born in Dorset, England, around 1450.

In the 16th century, the surname Olliff gained wider recognition, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Sir Thomas Olliff (c. 1520-1594), an English merchant and diplomat who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1588.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Olliff (c. 1550-1628), a Member of Parliament for Hastings and a staunch supporter of the Protestant cause during the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, the Olliff surname was found in various regions of England, including Kent, Sussex, and Dorset. One notable individual from this period was Richard Olliff (1638-1712), a noted English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes.

As the centuries progressed, the Olliff surname continued to be recorded in various parts of England and eventually spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. Some individuals of note include Samuel Olliff (1801-1867), a British architect and surveyor, and Sir John Olliff (1809-1895), a British politician and landowner from Kent.

While the surname Olliff is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and reflects the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the English language and its naming conventions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olliff

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

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

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

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