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

Olmstead, 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 Olmstead surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olmstead in America

Olmstead is the 4430th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olmstead surname appeared 8,021 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Olmstead.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olmstead 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 Olmstead

The surname Olmstead is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words 'olm' meaning 'elm tree' and 'stede' meaning 'place' or 'homestead'. It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, specifically in the regions of East Anglia and the West Country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olmstead can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Olmosted' in reference to a settlement in Norfolk. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that area by the 11th century.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various records as 'Olmetead', 'Olmestede', and 'Olmstede', indicating its evolution over time. It is thought that these variations were influenced by regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Olmstead include William Olmstead (c. 1510-1570), a prominent merchant and landowner in Suffolk, and Richard Olmstead (1603-1667), one of the founders of the town of Norwalk, Connecticut, in the American colonies.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Olmstead was also associated with several place names in England, such as Olmsted in Kent and Olmstead Green in Essex, further reinforcing its connection to the Old English 'olm' and 'stede' roots.

Other notable individuals with the surname Olmstead include Denison Olmsted (1791-1859), an American scientist and educator who made significant contributions to the study of meteorology and astronomy, and Marlin Olmsted (1809-1875), a prominent lawyer and politician from New York who served as a U.S. Representative.

Frederic Law Olmsted (1822-1903), the renowned landscape architect and designer of many famous urban parks, including Central Park in New York City, is perhaps the most well-known figure to bear the Olmstead surname. His work had a lasting impact on the field of landscape architecture and urban planning.

While the surname Olmstead has evolved over time and spread to various regions, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, where it was closely tied to the Old English words for 'elm tree' and 'homestead'.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olmstead

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

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

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

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