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

Olshan, 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 Olshan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Olshan in America

Olshan is the 77522nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Olshan surname appeared 247 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 Olshan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Olshan 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 Olshan

The surname Olshan is believed to have originated in the region of Alsace, which is located in northeastern France along the border with Germany. The name likely dates back to the 16th or 17th century and is thought to be derived from the German word "Olshausen," which means "place of alders" or "alder grove."

Some historians suggest that the name Olshan may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or owned land with an abundance of alder trees. Alders are a type of tree that commonly grow in moist, swampy areas, and their wood was traditionally used for various purposes, such as making furniture, charcoal, and dyes.

Early records of the name Olshan are scarce, but it is believed to have appeared in some local parish registers and land deeds in the Alsace region during the 17th and 18th centuries. However, no specific references to the name in notable historical documents or manuscripts have been found.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Olshan was Johann Olshan, who was born in the village of Obernai, Alsace, in 1725. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to live in the region for several generations.

Another notable individual with the surname Olshan was Marie-Antoinette Olshan, who was born in Strasbourg, Alsace, in 1792. She was a renowned seamstress and owned a successful dressmaking business in the city, catering to the local nobility and wealthy merchants.

In the 19th century, some members of the Olshan family emigrated from Alsace to other parts of Europe and the United States. One such individual was Friedrich Olshan, who was born in Colmar, Alsace, in 1845. He moved to the United States in 1867 and settled in Chicago, where he worked as a baker and later established his own bakery.

Another notable figure with the surname Olshan was Auguste Olshan, who was born in Mulhouse, Alsace, in 1878. He was a renowned artist known for his landscape paintings and worked in the Impressionist style. His works are displayed in several museums across Europe.

In the 20th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the surname Olshan was Ludwig Olshan, who was born in Strasbourg, Alsace, in 1912. He was a renowned physicist and made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics. He taught at prestigious universities in Germany and the United States and was awarded several honors and accolades for his groundbreaking research.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Olshan

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

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

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

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