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

Oloff, 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 Oloff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Oloff in America

Oloff is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Oloff surname appeared 128 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 Oloff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Oloff 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 Oloff

The surname Oloff originated in Sweden during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Norse name Olafr, which was a popular name among the Vikings. The name is thought to have been derived from the Old Norse words "anu" meaning ancestor and "laf" meaning legacy or descendant, thus translating to "ancestor's descendant."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Oloff can be traced back to the 13th century in various Swedish parish records and census rolls. The name was predominantly found in the regions of Småland, Västergötland, and Östergötland, which were heavily populated by Vikings during that time.

One notable early reference to the name Oloff is in the Söderköping Guild Book, a historical manuscript dating back to the 14th century. The book lists several members of the guild with the surname Oloff, indicating that the name was well-established in the area.

In the 16th century, the name Oloff appeared in the renowned Celsius family tree. The Celsius family was a prominent Swedish family that produced several notable scholars and scientists, including the astronomer and mathematician Anders Celsius (1701-1744), who developed the Celsius temperature scale.

Another notable bearer of the surname Oloff was Olof Rudbeck (1630-1702), a Swedish scientist, writer, and composer. He is best known for his contributions to the field of anatomy and his work on the lymphatic system.

The name Oloff has also been associated with several place names in Sweden, such as Olofstorp, Olofström, and Olofsfors, which likely derived from individuals with the surname Oloff who lived in or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Oloff throughout history include:

1. Carl Olof Rosenius (1816-1868), a Swedish Lutheran minister and writer.
2. Olof Krarer (1530-1595), a Swedish statesman and Lord High Chancellor.
3. Olof Arpi (1629-1683), a Swedish clergyman and writer.
4. Olof Palme (1927-1986), a Swedish politician and Prime Minister of Sweden.
5. Olof Mellberg (born 1977), a Swedish former professional football player.

While the surname Oloff is not as common today as it once was, it remains an important part of Swedish history and culture, with its roots deeply embedded in the Viking age and the rich heritage of Scandinavia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Oloff

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

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

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

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