# Oliver (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/oliver/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 115,900 |
| US rank (2010) | 264 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 2,664 people |
| Change since 2000 | +3.8% (111,641 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑlɪvɚ/, 3 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

Inherited from Middle English Oliver, from Old French Olivier, by folk etymology derived from the Latin name Olīvārius, but probably representing an Old High German form of Old Norse Óleifr (“ancestral + relic”) (modern Danish Olaf and Swedish Olof), or Proto-Germanic *ala- (“all”) + *wēraz (“true”) (modern Swedish allvar). Name of a paladin of Charlemagne in medieval French romance.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Oliver in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 64% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 27% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.5% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.4% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Oliver in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and The Bahamas.

## People named Oliver

- Jamie Oliver, British chef and media personality
- John Oliver, British-American comedian and television host
- Mary Oliver, American poet (1935–2019)
- King Oliver, American jazz cornet player and bandleader
- Edna May Oliver, American actress (1883–1942)
- David Oliver, American hurdler
- Barret Oliver, American actor and photographer
- Susan Oliver, American actress, author, aviator (1932-1990)
- Lauren Oliver, American writer
- Arnie Oliver, American soccer player (1907-1993)
- Michael Oliver, American actor
- Chase Oliver, American political activist and 2024 Libertarian Party presidential nominee

and 25 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Olvera, Oliveira, Olivera, Olivier, Oliveri, Olivieri, Olivero, Oliverio, Olivar, Olivares, Olivarez, Oliveros.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.