This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Ola family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Ola Family History

Ola Surname Meaning

Basque and Aragonese (of Basque origin): habitational name from either of two places called Ola in Navarre and in Huesca Aragon (where Basque was spoken in pre-Roman times) from Basque ola ‘forge ironworks’ or ‘cabin’. This surname is very rare in Spain.

West African (Nigeria): from a short form of a Yoruba personal name with ọlá ‘high estate nobility wealth’ as the first element such as Ọláolú ‘nobility of God’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ola family from?

You can see how Ola families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ola family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Ola families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 3 Ola families living in Dorset. This was about 38% of all the recorded Ola's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Ola families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ola surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ola ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Packer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ola. 27% of Ola men worked as a Laborer and 60% of Ola women worked as a Packer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ola were Truck Driver and New Worker.

View Census Data for Ola | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Clerk
    16%
  • Proprietor
    12%
  • Truck Driver
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Packer
    60%
  • New Worker
    40%

What Ola family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Ola. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ola census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ola

Passenger Lists

There are 671 immigration records available for the last name Ola. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ola immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 340 military records available for the last name Ola. For the veterans among your Ola ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ola military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ola family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Ola family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial