2000
#13,875
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,997
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.74
Rare Last name
Ollis
Derived from a Norman French place name meaning "church on a hill" or from the Old Norse personal name "Áleifr."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,173 Americans carry the last name Ollis. That puts it at #14,974 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 157,733 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ollis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ollis with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.2K
1 in 157,733
Census rank
#14,974
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,895 bearers of the surname Ollis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14974th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ollis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Black (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ollis
The surname Ollis has its origins in England and dates back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "olfend," meaning "camel-keeper" or "camel-driver." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been involved in the trade or transportation of camels, a rare occupation in medieval England.
The name Ollis was initially spelled in various ways, such as Olfend, Olffend, and Olfynd, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a certain "Willelmus Olfend" is mentioned.
In the 14th century, the name Ollis began to appear in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which lists a "Johannes Olfynd." This indicates that the name had spread to different regions of England by that time.
During the 15th century, the name Ollis gained prominence, and several notable individuals bearing this surname emerged. One such person was Sir John Ollis (c. 1420-1489), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Nottinghamshire. Another was William Ollis (c. 1460-1525), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.
In the 16th century, the name Ollis continued to be associated with individuals of significance. One notable example is Thomas Ollis (c. 1510-1572), a playwright and poet who is believed to have contributed to the works of William Shakespeare. Another is Sir Richard Ollis (c. 1535-1602), a renowned military commander who served under Queen Elizabeth I during the Anglo-Spanish War.
As the centuries progressed, the name Ollis spread further across England and beyond. In the 18th century, a notable figure was John Ollis (1703-1778), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from London. His innovative designs and contributions to the field of horology made him a respected figure in his time.
Throughout its history, the surname Ollis has been borne by many individuals who have left their mark in various fields, including politics, literature, military service, and craftsmanship. While the name's origins may be humble, its bearers have achieved remarkable accomplishments, reflecting the rich tapestry of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ollis
Among Census respondents with the surname Ollis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Black (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ollis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ollis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.1% · 1,650
- Two or more races4.8% · 91
- Black or African American3.4% · 64
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.3% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ollis
Ollis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,739
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,016
+19 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 864 places
2020
#14,974
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,895
-121 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 235 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,875 | 1,997 | 0.74 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,739 | 2,016 | 0.68 | +19 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 864 places |
| 2020 | #14,974 | 1,895 | 0.63 | -121 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 235 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ollis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,739 | #14,974 | -1.6% |
| Count | 2,016 | 1,895 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.68 | 0.63 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ollis bearers went from 2,016 to 1,895 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 235 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,739 to #14,974.
FAQ
Ollis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ollis?
Name Census estimates that about 2,173 living Americans carry the surname Ollis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 157,733 residents.
How common is Ollis?
Ollis ranks #14,974 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,895 people with the surname Ollis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,173), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ollis.
Has Ollis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ollis went from 2,016 recorded bearers to 1,895. That is a decrease of 121 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,739 to #14,974.
What does the Census say about the background of Ollis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ollis, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Black (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ollis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.1% (1,650 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ollis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.1%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Black (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ollis (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ollis mean?
Derived from a Norman French place name meaning "church on a hill" or from the Old Norse personal name "Áleifr." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ollis (0.63 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Ollis?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Ollis? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.