2000
#8,017
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,816
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.41
Rare Last name
Olmedo
A Spanish locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Olmedo, meaning "elm grove."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,481 Americans carry the last name Olmedo. That puts it at #5,880 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.89 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 52,886 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Olmedo 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
6.5K
1 in 52,886
Census rank
#5,880
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,652 bearers of the surname Olmedo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.89 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5880th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Olmedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Olmedo
The surname Olmedo is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the town of Olmedo in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. The name is derived from the Latin word "Ulmetum," which means "place of elms" or "elm grove," indicating that the town or area was likely known for its abundance of elm trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Olmedo appears in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a historical document from the 14th century that recorded the names of noble families and their lands in Castile. This suggests that the Olmedo surname had already established itself among the nobility by that time.
In the 15th century, records show the existence of a prominent noble family called Olmedo, who held significant influence and landholdings in the region of Valladolid. One notable member of this family was Alonso de Olmedo (c. 1455-1534), a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico and played a crucial role in establishing Spanish rule in the Americas.
Another historical figure bearing the surname Olmedo was Diego de Olmedo (c. 1470-1529), a Spanish friar and theologian who served as an advisor to King Charles V of Spain. He was known for his involvement in the religious and political affairs of the Spanish Empire during the early 16th century.
In the realm of literature, the surname Olmedo is associated with José Joaquín de Olmedo (1780-1847), an Ecuadorian poet, politician, and statesman. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the Americas and is renowned for his epic poem "La Victoria de Junín," which commemorates the Battle of Junín during the Peruvian War of Independence.
Another notable figure with the surname Olmedo was Domingo de Olmedo (c. 1500-1570), a Spanish architect and military engineer who was actively involved in the construction of various fortifications and buildings in Spain and its colonies during the 16th century.
While the surname Olmedo has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Latin America, where it remains a prominent surname in countries like Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Olmedo
Among Census respondents with the surname Olmedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Olmedo 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 Olmedo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino93.8% · 5,301
- White3.9% · 222
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 80
- Two or more races0.4% · 25
- Black or African American0.3% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Olmedo
Olmedo 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
#5,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,768
+1,952 bearers (+51.2%)
Per 100,000 1.96
Rank movement Up 2,050 places
2020
#5,880
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,652
-116 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 1.89
Rank movement Up 87 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,017 | 3,816 | 1.41 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,967 | 5,768 | 1.96 | +1,952 bearers (+51.2%) | Up 2,050 places |
| 2020 | #5,880 | 5,652 | 1.89 | -116 bearers (-2.0%) | Up 87 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 Olmedo 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 | #5,967 | #5,880 | 1.5% |
| Count | 5,768 | 5,652 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.96 | 1.89 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Olmedo bearers went from 5,768 to 5,652 (-2.0% change). The surname moved up 87 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,967 to #5,880.
FAQ
Olmedo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Olmedo?
Name Census estimates that about 6,481 living Americans carry the surname Olmedo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 52,886 residents.
How common is Olmedo?
Olmedo ranks #5,880 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.89 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,652 people with the surname Olmedo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,481), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.89 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.89 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Olmedo.
Has Olmedo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Olmedo went from 5,768 recorded bearers to 5,652. That is a decrease of 116 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,967 to #5,880.
What does the Census say about the background of Olmedo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Olmedo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 93.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Olmedo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (5,301 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Olmedo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (93.8%), White (3.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Olmedo (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 Olmedo mean?
A Spanish locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Olmedo, meaning "elm 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 Olmedo (1.89 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 Americans have the surname Olmedo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.