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Oliveira Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Oliveira last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Oliveira coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Oliveira last name

Meaning of the Oliveira last name: olive tree. Oliveira is a Portuguese surname meaning "olive tree", given to a family whose home stood near olive groves or who came from one of the many villages named after them. This last name ranks near the top in both Portugal and Brazil. Curiously, Portuguese towns such as Oliveira de Azeméis and Oliveira do Hospital share the name.

Arms associated with the Oliveira name

Coats of arms associated with the Oliveira surname follow Portuguese heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.

Get your full Oliveira family history

This is only a glimpse of the Oliveira story. The full Oliveira history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Oliveira coat of arms. Get the full Oliveira report.

Oliveira name FAQ

What does the Oliveira name mean?

Olive tree. Common variants include Olivera, Oliveiras.

Where does the Oliveira surname come from?

It originates in Portugal, and is also found in Brazil, the United States and Angola.

Is there a Oliveira coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Oliveira coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: José Pedro Machado, Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa (Lisboa, 1984); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).