Oliver

This article is about the surname Oliver. For other uses, see Oliver (disambiguation).

Oliver
Family name
Related names	Oliver; Olivier
Clan affiliations	Fraser

The surname Oliver is of several different origins.

Etymology

The surname Oliver is derived from the Old French personal name Olivier. Also means "legend, hero and valliant" The Oliver surname (meaning "seller, or processor of olive oil") seems to be French Norman in origin. The Olivers were probably part of William the Conqueror's Norman Invasion of Britain in 1066. The Oliver family was a sept of the Scotland Highlands' powerful Fraser Clan and was a very powerful clan themselves in Roxburghshire and the Borders area. It arrived in Scotland and Ireland in the 14th century. This Old French name was introduced to Scotland and Ireland by the Normans. During the Middle Ages, it was a popular name throughout Europe. It was borne by one of Charlemagne's paladins, and friend of Roland.^[1] Ostensibly, the name is said to derive from the Latin olivarius, meaning "olive tree".^[2] However, all of Charlemagne's paladins bore Germanic names;^[2] and the Latin derivation of the name may be a result of folk etymology working on an unidentified Germanic personal name, possibly a cognate of Alvaro;^[1] or possibly distantly connected with the Old Norse Óleifr, meaning "ancestral relic".^[2]

The Catalan and (Occitan) French surname is a topographic name. It is derived from oliver, meaning "olive tree". It may also be related to the homonymous name listed above.^[1]

People

Contents: Top · 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

• Adam Oliver (1823–1882), Canadian businessman-politician
• Al Oliver (b. 1946), baseball player
• Alan Oliver, English sports journalist
• Andrew Oliver (1706–1774), Massachusetts merchant and public official
• Alexander Oliver (1744–1828), American soldier
• Anton Oliver (b. 1975), New Zealand rugby player

B

• Barret Oliver (born 1973), American actor
• Bernard M. Oliver (1919–1995), eminent American scientist and SETI advocate
• Bob Oliver (born 1943), baseball player
• Brian Oliver (born 1968), basketball player

C

• Catriona Oliver(born 1980), Australian Olympic rower
• Chad Oliver (1928–1993), science-fiction novelist
• Craig Oliver (born 1938), Canadian telejournalist
• Craig Oliver (born 1969), Downing Street Director of Communications and former BBC media executive

D

• Dale Oliver, American composer
• Damien Oliver (born 1972), Australian jockey
• Daniel Oliver (1930–1916), British botanist
• Darren Oliver (born 1970), baseball pitcher
• David Oliver (actor) (1962–1992), American actor
• David Oliver (Canadian politician), politician in British Columbia, Canada
• David Oliver (athlete), American athlete
• Dean Oliver (basketball) (born 1978)
• Dean Oliver (footballer) (born 1987), player for Sheffield United
• Deanna Oliver, American actress
• Donald Oliver (born 1938), Canadian Senator

E

• Edna May Oliver (1883–1942), American character actress

F

• Farquhar Oliver (1904–1989), Canadian politician
• Francis Wall Oliver (1864–1951), British botanist
• Frank Oliver (politician) (1853–1933), Canadian politician
• Frank Oliver (rugby union) (b. 1948), New Zealand rugby player
• Frank A. Oliver (1883–1968), New York Congressman
• Frank L. Oliver (b. 1922), Pennsylvania politician

G

• Gene Oliver (1913–2007), American catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball.
• Geoffrey Oliver (1898–1980), British admiral
• George T. Oliver (1848–1919), American lawyer, publisher, and Republican party politician
• Glynis Oliver, artist and colorist in the comics industry
• Graham Oliver, English guitarist.

H

• Harry Oliver (1888–1973), American humorist
• Harry Oliver (ice hockey) (1898–1985), Canadian
• Henry Oliver (1865–1965), British naval officer

I

• Ian Oliver, former police officer, now an international consultant for the United Nations
• Isaac Oliver (c. 1565–1617) French-born English portrait miniature painter

J

• Jack Edward Oliver (1942–2007), British cartoonist
• Jackie Oliver (born 1942), Formula One driver
• James Harrison Oliver (1857–1928), a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy
• James Michael Yorrick Oliver, Lord Mayor of London from 2001 to 2002
• Jamie Oliver, (b. 1975), British celebrity chef
• Jamie Oliver (musician), of Lostprophets
• Jimmy Oliver (born 1969), basketball player
• Joe Oliver (baseball player) (born 1965), catcher
• Joe "King" Oliver (1885–1938). African-American jazz musician and bandleader
• John Oliver (politician) and farmer in British Columbia, Canada
• John Oliver (comedian), British political comedian
• John Ertle Oliver, (1923–2011), American scientist (aka Jack Oliver)
• Jools Oliver; née Juliette Norton, wife of British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver
• Joseph Oliver (mayor), mayor of Toronto 1908–1909
• Joseph Oliver (rugby league), rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s
• Despot Jovan Oliver (ca. 1310–1356), Serbian nobleman and autonomous ruler
• Juan García Oliver (1901–1980), Spanish Anarcho-syndicalist revolutionary

K

Kevin J. Oliver(born 1965) Dentist-

L

• Laureen Oliver, New York political activist

M

• Mark Oliver (born 1966), voice actor
• Martin Oliver, British children's author
• Mary Oliver (born 1936), American poet
• Meg Oliver (born 1970), TV news anchor
• Melvin Oliver (born 1983), football player
• Michael Oliver (Carleton president), (1925–2004) Canadian academic leader
• Michael Oliver (actor), American actor
• Michael Oliver (footballer), Scottish football player and manager
• Michael Oliver (Lord Mayor), Lord Mayor of London (2001–2002)
• Michael Oliver (real estate), founder of the Republic of Minerva
• Michael Oliver (writer, broadcaster) (1937–2002)

N

• Nancy Oliver (born 1955), American playwright and screenwriter
• Neil Oliver, Scottish historian
• Neil Oliver (footballer), English footballer
• Nicole Oliver, Canadian actress

O

• Oliver (singer) (1945–2000), American pop singer (né William Oliver Swofford)

P

• Pam Oliver (born 1961), American sportscaster
• Paul Oliver (born 1927), British architectural historian
• Paul Ambrose Oliver (1830–1912), American Civil War Union general and Medal of Honor recipient
• Peter Oliver (painter) (1594–1648), English miniaturist painter

R

• Robert Don Oliver (1895–1980), British naval officer
• R. W. Oliver, the first chancellor of the University of Kansas
• Rachel Oliver, New Zealand international football (soccer) player
• Raymond Oliver (1909–1990), Parisian restaurateur
• Reggie Oliver (born 1952), English playwright
• Revilo P. Oliver (1908–1994), American professor, conspiracy theorist and white supremacist
• Richard Martin fitz Oliver, actually Richard Martyn (c. 1602–1648), Irish politician
• Robert Oliver (born 1950), New Zealand Olympic cyclist
• Roland Oliver (born 1923), professor of African history

S

• Sheila Y. Oliver, (born 1952), New Jersey legislator
• Stephen Oliver (1941–2008), American actor
• Stephen Oliver (1950–92), British composer
• Susan Oliver (1932–90), American actress and aviatrix, noted for appearing in Star Trek
• Sy Oliver

T

• Tom Oliver (born 1938), Australian actor
• Thomas Oliver (Canadian politician) (1821–80), Canadian businessman and political figure
• Thomas Oliver (Lieutenant Governor) (1733–1815), the last Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts
• Tommy Oliver (musician) (1932–2006), American musician and music producer
• Tony Oliver (born 1958), American voice actor
• Troy Oliver, musician-songwriter

V

• Vaughan Oliver (born 1957), British graphic designer
• Vic Oliver (1898–1964), Austrian actor-comedian; Winston Churchill's son-in-law

W

• W. H. Oliver (born 1925), New Zealand poet-historian
• Walter Oliver (1883–1957), New Zealander ornithologist
• William Oliver (1695–1764), physician and philanthropist, inventor of the "Bath Oliver" biscuit
• William Bacon Oliver (1867–1948), Alabama Congressman
• William J Oliver, aka "Oliver the Spy", and aka W.J. Richards, 19th century agent-provocateur, employed by the English Home Office against the Luddites
• William M. Oliver (1792–1863), New York politician
• Winslow Oliver (born 1973), National Football League running back

See also

• Oliver (family name)
• All pages beginning with "Oliver"
• All pages with titles containing "Oliver"

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Oliver" in A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192800507
2. ^ ^{a b c} Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Hardcastle, Kate. ed. Oxford Dictionary of Names (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 210. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.