NameCensus.

UK surname

Olive

Derived from the Old French olivier, referring to a person who lived near or tended to olive trees.

In the 1881 census there were 1,073 people recorded with the Olive surname, ranking it #3,691 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,293, ranked #4,631, down from #3,691 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Radcliffe, Bury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, Canterbury and North Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Olive is 1,545 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.5%.

1881 census count

1,073

Ranked #3,691

Modern count

1,293

2016, ranked #4,631

Peak year

1911

1,545 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Olive had 1,073 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,691 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,293 in 2016, ranked #4,631.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,545 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Olive surname distribution map

The map shows where the Olive surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Olive surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Olive over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 884 #3,093
1861 historical 1,032 #2,715
1881 historical 1,073 #3,691
1891 historical 1,267 #3,407
1901 historical 1,356 #3,698
1911 historical 1,545 #3,138
1997 modern 1,356 #4,243
1998 modern 1,372 #4,342
1999 modern 1,350 #4,441
2000 modern 1,363 #4,395
2001 modern 1,327 #4,411
2002 modern 1,352 #4,423
2003 modern 1,310 #4,455
2004 modern 1,300 #4,483
2005 modern 1,275 #4,509
2006 modern 1,249 #4,613
2007 modern 1,273 #4,563
2008 modern 1,286 #4,555
2009 modern 1,307 #4,584
2010 modern 1,335 #4,584
2011 modern 1,328 #4,549
2012 modern 1,298 #4,579
2013 modern 1,324 #4,573
2014 modern 1,331 #4,583
2015 modern 1,297 #4,645
2016 modern 1,293 #4,631

Geography

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Where Olives are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Radcliffe, Bury and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, Canterbury, North Kesteven, Bolton and Bury. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Radcliffe Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 002 Mid Devon
2 Canterbury 014 Canterbury
3 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
4 Bolton 034 Bolton
5 Bury 007 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Olive

These lists show first names that appear often with the Olive surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Olive

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Olive, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Olive surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Olive household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Olive is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Olive is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Olive falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Olive is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Olive, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Olive

The surname Olive is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'olive', which referred to the olive tree or its fruit. The name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near an olive grove or had some association with the olive trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Olive can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, compiled in 1273. This document mentions a person named William Olive residing in the county at that time. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which lists a John Olive as a taxpayer.

The surname Olive has been present in various parts of England over the centuries, with concentrations in regions such as Sussex, Kent, and Cornwall. Some variations in spelling include Olyve, Oliff, and Olyff, which were common in medieval records.

Olive is also found as a place name in certain areas of England. For instance, the village of Olive in Norfolk may have contributed to the surname's development in that region. Additionally, there are references to places like Olive Farm and Olive Hill in historical documents.

Notable individuals with the surname Olive throughout history include:

1. Peter Olive (c. 1560-1619), an English Puritan clergyman and controversialist. 2. Thomas Olive (c. 1600-1658), an English Puritan minister and member of the Westminster Assembly. 3. John Olive (1766-1837), an English engraver and painter known for his landscapes and portraits. 4. Robert Olive (1785-1857), an English Wesleyan minister and author of several theological works. 5. Edward Olive (1843-1916), a British Army officer who served in the Anglo-Zulu War and the Second Boer War.

The surname Olive has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period in England. While originating as a descriptive name related to the olive tree or its fruit, it has since become a well-established surname with various spellings and geographical distributions across the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Olive families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Olive surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 420 Olives recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 420 3.37x
Middlesex 121 1.15x
Kent 94 2.62x
Surrey 72 1.41x
Sussex 42 2.37x
Gloucestershire 40 1.94x
Hampshire 40 1.86x
Somerset 36 2.13x
Cornwall 30 2.52x
Lincolnshire 30 1.78x
Essex 23 1.11x
Yorkshire 23 0.22x
Leicestershire 19 1.63x
Cheshire 17 0.73x
Glamorgan 11 0.60x
Devon 6 0.27x
Flintshire 6 2.12x
Warwickshire 6 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 5 1.13x
Hertfordshire 5 0.69x
Bedfordshire 4 0.73x
Dorset 4 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.47x
Isle of Man 3 1.54x
Durham 2 0.06x
Monmouthshire 2 0.26x
Morayshire 2 1.22x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.60x
Royal Navy 2 1.60x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x
Shropshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Radcliffe in Lancashire leads with 93 Olives recorded in 1881 and an index of 154.61x.

Place Total Index
Radcliffe 93 154.61x
Bury 41 28.76x
Elton 39 90.47x
Little Lever 30 187.97x
Tottington Lower End 26 43.84x
Bedminster 23 14.46x
Whitstable 21 119.32x
Salford 18 4.90x
Pilkington 17 35.87x
Southampton St Mary 17 12.54x
Breightmet 15 273.22x
St Marylebone London 15 2.67x
Canterbury St Alphage 12 313.32x
Lambeth 12 1.31x
Barrow Upon Soar 11 114.23x
Bethnal Green London 11 2.41x
Hammersmith London 11 4.25x
Macclesfield 11 10.66x
Olveston 11 189.66x
Everton 10 2.51x
Farnworth 10 13.38x
Mile End Old Town 10 6.02x
Beddington 9 45.41x
Cranwell 9 1200.00x
Prestwich 9 28.91x
Ainsworth 8 165.63x
Cosby 8 221.61x
Croydon 8 2.81x
Fulham London 8 5.25x
Walthamstow 8 10.71x
West Wickham 8 230.55x
Briton Ferry 7 32.04x
Clapham 7 5.32x
Cowbit 7 305.68x
Darcy Lever 7 97.49x
Frome 7 17.29x
Great Bolton 7 4.24x
Islington London 7 0.69x
Lewisham 7 3.66x
Little Bolton 7 4.36x
Middleton In Oldham 7 18.71x
Portsea 7 1.66x
Truro St Mary 7 70.00x
Uckfield 7 90.56x
Walton Le Dale 7 20.88x
Alfriston 6 284.36x
Barking 6 9.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 3.09x
Buxted 6 86.46x
Caerwys 6 206.90x
Camberwell 6 0.89x
Canterbury St Mary 6 24.92x
Cuddington 6 303.03x
Hillingdon 6 17.89x
Leamington Priors 6 9.20x
Lymington 6 37.88x
North Kyme 6 239.04x
Paddington London 6 1.55x
Rishton 6 40.98x
St Peters 6 36.14x
Walmersley Cum 6 30.09x
West Ham 6 1.31x
Westminster St James 6 5.55x
Wimbledon 6 10.43x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 5.15x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 7.27x
Camborne 5 10.19x
Carmarthen St Peter 5 13.20x
Cheetham 5 5.37x
Gerrans 5 155.76x
Hornsey 5 3.76x
Hunslet 5 3.08x
Keston 5 187.27x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 11.28x
Newington 5 1.29x
Rumworth 5 28.04x
St Gluvias Penryn 5 52.41x
St Pancras London 5 0.59x
Tonge With Haulgh 5 20.58x
Westbury On Trym 5 7.16x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Olive surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Olive surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 81
John 79
James 42
Thomas 34
George 32
Charles 20
Joseph 19
Henry 16
Richard 12
Robert 12
Walter 11
Edward 9
Alfred 8
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Daniel 4
Peter 4
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Jeremiah 3
Walker 3
Ellis 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Infant 2
Jno. 2
Nicholas 2
W. 2
Adam 1
Bradlon 1
Caleb 1
Carl 1
David 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Elias 1
Emily 1
Ernest 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hiram 1
Isaac 1
Jackson 1
Jacob 1
Zyioris 1

FAQ

Olive surname: questions and answers

How common was the Olive surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,073 people were recorded with the Olive surname. That placed it at #3,691 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Olive surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,293 in 2016. That gives Olive a modern rank of #4,631.

What does the Olive surname mean?

Derived from the Old French olivier, referring to a person who lived near or tended to olive trees.

What does the Olive map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Olive bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.