Olivieri History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Olivieri can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Venice. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most common type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Olivieri came from the given name Olivero, which is further derived from the Latin words olivarius and olivo, which mean olive.

Early Origins of the Olivieri family

The surname Olivieri was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. From the Olivieri lineage in this city came many prominent individuals, such as an Oliviero, documented as Cardinal of S.R. Chiesa in 1436.

Early History of the Olivieri family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olivieri research. More information is included under the topic Early Olivieri History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olivieri Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Olivieri include Olivieri, Oliviero, Olivier, Oliveri, Olivero, Oliverio, Oliver, Ulivieri, Livieri, Liviero, Liverani, Vieri, Viero, Vier, Vierin and many more.

Early Notables of the Olivieri family (pre 1700)

Prominent among members of the family was Alessandro Oliverio, (1500-1544), born in Bergamo, a famous painter and follower of Palma Vecchio. Pietro Oliveri was President of the Court in Palermo in 1675; Michele Oliveri was the first Duke of Aquaviva, and held the position in 1686; the Oliveri family from Messina was officially...
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Olivieri Ranking

In the United States, the name Olivieri is the 12,758^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Olivieri is ranked the 6,417^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. [2]

Olivieri migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Olivieri were

Olivieri Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Domingo Olivieri, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1837 [3]

Olivieri Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alessandro Olivieri, aged 20, who immigrated to America from Preci, Italy, in 1909
Alfio Olivieri, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from S. Stefano, Italy, in 1909
Agrippina Olivieri, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States from Mineo, Sicily, in 1909
Alessando Olivieri, aged 30, who landed in America from Montecarlo, Italy, in 1911
Annibale Olivieri, aged 39, who landed in America from Ascoli Piceno, Italy, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Olivieri (post 1700) +

Harry M. Olivieri (1916-2006), Italian-American restaurateur
Dawn Olivieri (b. 1981), American actress
Gennaro Olivieri (1942-2020), Italian professional football player and coach
Stefano Olivieri (b. 1983), former Italian footballer
Aldo Olivieri (1910-2001), former Italian football goalkeeper
Domenico Olivieri (b. 1679), Italian painter
Gennaro Olivieri (1922-2009), Swiss ice hockey referee
Nancy Fern Olivieri, prominent Canadian haematologist and researcher
Andrew Olivieri (b. 1981), retired Canadian soccer player

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)