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

Olm, 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 Olm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olm in America

Olm is the 73215th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olm surname appeared 265 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 Olm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olm 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 Olm

The surname Olm has its origins in Germany, where it first appeared in the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old German words "olm" or "olme," which referred to an elm tree or a forest of elm trees. It is believed that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or owned land with a significant number of elm trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olm can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Thuringia, Germany. In a document dated 1289, a certain "Henricus Olm" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.

During the 14th century, the name Olm began to appear in various records across different regions of Germany. In the city of Erfurt, a merchant named Johann Olm is recorded as having been involved in trade activities with neighboring towns in the year 1376.

As the centuries passed, the Olm name spread to other parts of Europe. In the early 16th century, a family of Olm settled in the Netherlands, where they became prominent in the textile industry. One notable member of this family was Willem Olm (1520-1589), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Leiden.

In England, the earliest recorded instance of the Olm surname dates back to the late 17th century. A man named Thomas Olm (1655-1723) was a respected clockmaker in London, known for his intricate and precise timepieces.

Another notable figure in history with the surname Olm was Johann Friedrich Olm (1772-1848), a German composer and music theorist. He is best known for his contributions to the development of musical pedagogy and his writings on the theory of harmony.

In the 19th century, the name Olm gained recognition in the field of literature. Johann Baptist Olm (1805-1868) was a renowned German poet and playwright, whose works often explored themes of nature and rural life.

Over the centuries, the surname Olm has also been found in various forms, such as Olme, Ohlm, and Ohlme, reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

While the name Olm may not be as common as some other surnames, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and multiple countries. From its humble beginnings as a name associated with elm trees, it has been carried by merchants, artisans, composers, and literary figures, contributing to the cultural fabric of societies across Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olm

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

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

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

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