Show ContentsOliver History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Oliver Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Oliver

What does the name Oliver mean?

The distinguished surname Oliver, like many Spanish family names, is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Spain were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Spanish patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century and were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins.

Early Origins of the Oliver family

The surname Oliver was first found in Aragon, an important Christian kingdom of medieval Spain. Today, Olivares is a city in the province of Seville having a population of 8,729 inhabitants as of 2005.

Early History of the Oliver family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oliver research. Another 199 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1137, 1148, 1170, 1229, 1235, 1238, 1282 and 1469 are included under the topic Early Oliver History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oliver Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Oliva, de Oliva, Olivas, Olivo, Olivos, Oliver, de Oliver, Olivé, Olive, Olivera, Oliveras, Olivero, Oliveros, de Oliveros, Olivérez, Oliverez, Olives, Olivar, Olivares and many more.

Early Notables of the Oliver family

  • nineteenth century Spanish journalist and writer Miguel de los Santos Oliver

Oliver World Ranking

the United Kingdom, the name Oliver is the 170th most popular surname with an estimated 31,982 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Oliver is ranked the 222nd most popular surname with an estimated 15,097 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Oliver is the 146th popular surname with an estimated 3,415 people with that name. 3 Canada ranks Oliver as 423rd with 11,034 people. 4 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Oliver as 250th with 175 people. 5 The United States ranks Oliver as 210th with 124,350 people. 6 France ranks Oliver as 1,710th with 3,531 people. 7 South Africa ranks Oliver as 976th with 7,000 people. 8

Oliver migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Miss Mary Oliver, (1745 - 1821), aged 45, British settler convicted in Kent, England in 1787, sentenced to 14 years for shop lifiting, transported aboard the ship "Mary Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
  • Mr. Ralph Oliver, British settler convicted in Durham, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Albermarle" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
  • Mr. Robert Oliver, British settler convicted in Durham, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Matilda" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
  • Mr. Samuel Oliver, British settler convicted in London, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Oliver Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Oliver, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. William Oliver, English convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. John Oliver, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. Charles Oliver, British Convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • Mr. Adam Oliver, (Jeremiah, Jackson), (b. 1799), aged 23, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1830 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Oliver Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Oliver, (b. 1889), aged 21, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Perthshire" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 26th December 1910 14

Oliver migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Oliver Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Oliver, aged 13, a servant, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
  • James Oliver, aged 38, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 15
  • Margaret B. Oliver, aged 38, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 15
  • George B. Oliver, aged 13, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 15
  • Agnes B. Oliver, aged 11, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jane Gifford" in 1842 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Oliver migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16
Oliver Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Robert Oliver, English settler from Crediton, Devon, England, (b. 1614), aged 20, British settler travelling from Plymouth, England aboard the ship "Margarett" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) on 1st March 1634 17

Oliver migration to Canada +

Oliver Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
Oliver Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Richard Oliver, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1774
  • Mr. Aaron Oliver U.E. who settled in Richmond [Greater Napanee], Ontario c. 1786 he served in the Indian Department 19
  • Mr. Frederick Oliver U.E. who settled in Richmond [Greater Napanee], Ontario c. 1786 he served in the Indian Department, married with 6 children 19
  • Thomas Oliver was a fisherman in Devil's Cove, Newfoundland in 1796 18
Oliver Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Oliver, aged 40, a farmer, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Baltic Merchant" in 1815
  • Mary Oliver, aged 36, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Baltic Merchant" in 1815
  • Rhoda Oliver, aged 17, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Baltic Merchant" in 1815
  • William Oliver, aged 15, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Baltic Merchant" in 1815
  • Stephen Oliver, aged 12, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Baltic Merchant" in 1815
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Oliver migration to the United States +



Oliver Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Francisco de Oliver, who sailed to New Spain in 1536
Oliver Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Oliver, who arrived in New England in 1632 aboard the ship "William and Francis" 20
  • Adam Oliver, who landed in Virginia in 1637 21
  • Mr. Thomas Oliver, (b. 1601), aged 36, British settler from Norwich, Norfolk departing May 1637 from England aboard the ship "Mary Ann" arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 20 June 1637, heading for Salem 22
  • Mrs. Mary Oliver, (b. 1603), aged 34, British settler from Norwich, Norfolk departing May 1637 from England aboard the ship "Mary Ann" arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 20 June 1637, heading for Salem 22
  • Mr. Thomas Oliver, Jr., British settler from Norwich, Norfolk departing May 1637 from England aboard the ship "Mary Ann" arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 20 June 1637, heading for Salem 22
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Oliver Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Brattle Oliver, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1712 21
  • Isaac Oliver, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 21
Oliver Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin Oliver, aged 29, who landed in New York in 1812 21
  • Esteban Oliver, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 21
  • James Oliver, who landed in South Carolina in 1821 21
  • Elizabeth Oliver, who landed in New York in 1832 21
  • Helen Oliver, who landed in New York in 1834 21
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Oliver (post 1700) +

  • William Hosking "W.H." Oliver (1925-2015), New Zealand historian and poet, awarded the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement, Non-Fiction in 2008
  • James Trevor "Jamie" Oliver MBE (b. 1975), English television chef, restaurateur, and media personality, perhaps best known for his global campaign for better food education
  • Francisco Torres Oliver (b. 1935), award-winning Spanish translator
  • Maria Antònia Oliver (b. 1946), Catalan novelist
  • Donald H. Oliver CM ONS KC (1938-2025), Canadian lawyer, developer and politician, served in the Senate of Canada (1990-2013), first black male to sit in the Senate and the second black Canadian appointed to the chamber
  • Bill "Brother" Oliver (1939-2025), American college football player and coach, served as a head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1980-1983), Auburn University as an interim head coach for the final five games of the 1998 season, compiling a career record of 31-17-1
  • Nathaniel Oliver (1940-2025), American baseball player, seven-year major league career in the 1960s, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Carolyn Maria Oliver (1921-2006), née Morse, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
  • Kenneth N. Oliver (1945-2024), American politician in Baltimore
  • ... (Another 152 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mr. Mervyn John Oliver (1914-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Palmerston North, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 23
  • James Oliver (b. 1825), British passenger who died aboard the ship "Cataraqui" when sailing for Melbourne, Australia she struck rocks of Kings Island and sank on 4th April 1845
  • Mr. Alan Henry Oliver (1923-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman from Lindisfarne, Tasmania, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
  • Mr. N Oliver, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 25
  • Mr. Alfred Henry Oliver, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 26
  • ... (Another 7 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Suggested Readings for the name Oliver +

  • James Spencer Oliver and his Wife Sarah Elizabeth Bireley by Delia Klinger Redman.
  • Oliver Genealogical Record, 1750-1970 by Claude Matthews Oliver.
  1. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  2. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  4. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  5. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  8. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  9. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  14. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. Cornish in the Caribbean (retrieved on 23rd September 2021). Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?id=gnSFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA265&lpg=PA265&dq=wallen+lizard+cornwall&source=bl&ots=ARTnm6uRLv&sig=ACfU3U3ewicUaBkTuwC_Gpr0ic-
  18. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  19. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  20. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  21. 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)
  22. Passengers of the Mary Anne of Yarmouth (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/MaryAnne.html
  23. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  24. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  25. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  26. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html

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