Surname Olin - Meaning and Origin
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Olin: What does the surname Olin mean?
The surname Olin is of Swedish origin and is believed to be derived from the personal name "Olof" or "Olaf", meaning "ancestor's descendant". The suffix '-in' is indicative of 'belonging to' or 'descendant of'. So, effectively, Olin could mean "descendant of Olof". It should be noted that the patronymic tradition, where the last name derives from the father's given name, was common in some Scandinavian countries. The name could also have derived from “Oeland”, an island in Sweden, indicating geographic origin. It is common in Sweden and has also been found in the United States, likely carried over by Swedish immigrants.
Order DNA origin analysisOlin: Where does the name Olin come from?
The last name Olin is quite common today, with an estimated 35,000 people around the world claiming the surname. It is mostly prevalent in North America, particularly the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimated that 8,711 people named Olin lived in the United States in 2020. The states with the highest numbers of people claiming the name in 2020 included Texas, Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin, and California.
The surname is a variant of the well-known surname Olson, which is mainly found in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland. In some cases, the Olson spelling may have come first and been changed to Olin. The German and Dutch variants of this surname include Ohlmann and Ohlenschläger.
Olins are also found in several European countries, including England, France, Germany, and Ireland. In Australia, the surname is somewhat uncommon, with less than 100 people using the name nationwide.
Overall, the surname Olin is quite common, with its frequency varying by region. As more people identify with the name and its variants, the global presence of people with this name will continue to increase.
Variations of the surname Olin
The surname Olin, is of English origin and is derived from an Anglo-Saxon personal name composed of the elements 'Ælf' meaning "elf" and 'wine' meaning "friend". Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Ollen, Olyn, Olynn, Oliny and Oeling.
Oling is another variant of the Olin surname and is mainly found in Germany. Its origins are unclear, but some believe it to be a variation of the surname Ohlendiek, derived from an Old High German personal name composed of the elements 'ohl' ("heath") and 'teih' ("people").
Olinick is of Jewish, Polish origin and is a variant of Olin. The surname originates from the Polish word ‘oliński’ meaning ‘from Olin’, a location in Poland, and signified someone who hails from that area. Spellings of Olinick are Olinicz, Oliniczek, Olinitch, Olinec and Olennik.
An Irish version of Olin is O'Linn. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name O Luinne, which is derived from the personal name Lúgh. Spellings of O'Linn are O'Linns, O'Linnse, Oelin and Oelens.
Ollen is a Swedish variant of the Olin surname. Its origins are believed to be derived from the Norse name Olfen, which was altered by French influence in the area. Spellings of Ollen are Oelle, Oellin, Oellette and Oellman.
Finally, Olan is a variant of Olin mainly found in Ireland. It is interpreted as a derivative of the pre-tenth century personal name "Aulon". Spellings of Olan include Oland, Olland and Olens.
Famous people with the name Olin
- Bruce Olin: American gold medalist olympic swimmer in the 1956 summer olympics.
- Jennifer Olin: Writer, traveler, photographer and magazine editor.
- Jennifer Olin welsh: American former figure skater and the 1985 U.S. National bronze medalist.
- Jeff Olin: Former member of the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League.
- Eugene Olin: American percussionist for the symphony orchestra.
- Jack Olin: American actor and producer.
- William Olin: American professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Plant and Soil Science.
- Michael Olin: American Designer and President of Olin Studio.
- Chuck Olin: American award-winning documentary filmmakers and film festival director.
- Devin Olin: American action star.