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

Olmsted, 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 Olmsted surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olmsted in America

Olmsted is the 10082nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olmsted surname appeared 3,197 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Olmsted.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olmsted 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 Olmsted

The surname Olmsted originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "olm" and "stede," which together mean "place of the elm trees." This suggests that the name likely originated as a place name referring to a location where elm trees were abundant.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Olmestedeu." This entry indicates that the name was already in use during the time of the Norman Conquest and the subsequent compilation of the Domesday Book.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Olmestead, Olmestede, and Olmsted. These variations reflect the evolution of language and regional dialects in different parts of England.

One notable figure bearing the Olmsted surname was Charles Olmsted, an English-born settler who arrived in Massachusetts in the 17th century. He was among the early Puritan colonists and helped establish the town of Newtown (now Cambridge) in 1630.

Another prominent individual was Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), the renowned landscape architect who co-designed Central Park in New York City and the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. His contributions to landscape architecture and urban planning had a lasting impact on the American landscape.

In the realm of literature, Meriwether Olmsted (1892-1956) was an American author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays, including "The Golden Goose" and "The White Steed."

Robert Olmsted (1619-1693) was an early settler in Connecticut and is recognized as one of the founders of the town of Norwalk. His descendants went on to play influential roles in the development of the region.

Lastly, William Olmsted (1805-1889) was a prominent figure in the early history of Nebraska. He served as the first mayor of Omaha and played a crucial role in the establishment and growth of the city.

While the surname Olmsted has its roots in England, it has since spread across the globe, with notable individuals bearing the name making significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olmsted

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

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

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

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