Olivarez
A Spanish surname likely tied to the olive tree or an ancestor identified as "of Oliveira/Olivares."
The #3,660 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 31,764 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Olivarez is a Hispanic surname that most likely developed as a spelling variant of names built on the word for "olive" or on place-names such as Olivares or Oliveira. In Iberian naming, such surnames often began as locational bynames meaning someone from a place associated with olive groves. The deeper root is Latin oliva, "olive," and related forms in Spanish and Portuguese.
History
The surname is found in Spanish-speaking communities, especially in families with roots in Spain or Latin America. In the United States, O-livarez is relatively uncommon and is often treated as a variant spelling of Olivares. As with many Hispanic surnames, spelling may have shifted after migration or through local record-keeping.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The olive tree has been a powerful Mediterranean symbol for centuries, so surnames built on olive words are common across Iberian languages.