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

Olney, 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 Olney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olney in America

Olney is the 9932nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olney surname appeared 3,248 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 Olney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olney 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 Olney

The surname OLNEY is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Olney in Buckinghamshire, England. The name Olney itself is believed to come from the Old English words "ole" meaning "a source or spring" and "eg" meaning "an island or low-lying land surrounded by water or marshy ground."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name OLNEY can be found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ollenei." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John de Olney was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230. This indicates that the surname had begun to spread beyond its original geographical roots.

During the 16th century, the name OLNEY gained prominence with the birth of John Olney (c. 1515-1564), an English clergyman and Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the Marian persecutions.

Another notable bearer of the OLNEY surname was Thomas Olney (c. 1600-1654), one of the founders of Providence, Rhode Island, and a close associate of Roger Williams. He was among the first settlers of the colony and played a significant role in its early development.

In the 18th century, Baptismal records from the town of Olney in Buckinghamshire show the name OLNEY being used consistently among local families, cementing its longstanding connection to the area.

William Olney (1786-1859), an English mathematician and educator, was a prominent figure in the 19th century. He authored numerous mathematical textbooks and served as the headmaster of the prestigious Prospect House School in Twickenham.

Throughout history, the OLNEY surname has also been associated with notable figures in various fields, including literature, politics, and science, further contributing to its rich heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olney

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

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

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

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