Explore the Family Name Olafsen
The meaning of Olafsen
Norwegian and Danish: patronymic from the personal name Olaf, from Old Norse Óláfr, Ólafr, variant Óleifr, earlier Anleifr, from proto-Scandinavian elements meaning ‘ancestor’ + ‘heir, descendant’. Olaf (also Olav, in Sweden Olof) has always been one of the most common Scandinavian names; it continued to be popular in the Middle Ages, in part as a result of the fame of Saint Olaf, King of Norway, who brought Christianity to his country c.1030. This surname is rare in Denmark. Compare Olafson.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Olafsen in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Olafsen experienced a decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 116,123 with a count of 139, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 was 0.05. However, by 2010, its rank fell to 133,048 and the count dropped to 127, marking a decrease in its overall popularity by approximately 14.58%. The proportion of people with the Olafsen surname also decreased by 20%, dropping to 0.04 per 100,000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #116,123 | #133,048 | -14.58% |
| Count | 139 | 127 | -8.63% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.05 | 0.04 | -20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Olafsen
The ethnicity distribution of the Olafsen surname shows it's predominantly identified as White, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, about 94.96% of individuals with the Olafsen surname identified as White, which slightly decreased to 94.49% in 2010. A minor but notable change occurred within the Hispanic community, showing an increase from 3.6% in 2000 to 4.72% in 2010. There was no reported change for those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native, or those of two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.96% | 94.49% | -0.49% |
| Hispanic | 3.6% | 4.72% | 31.11% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |