Last name: Olive  Recorded in many forms including Olave, Olive,
Olivia, Olivie, Olivet, Olivey, Olliff, Olliffe, Ollive, this is
a surname recorded throughout Europe. It is a Crusader 12th
century name, (see below), the derivation being from the Roman
(Latin) word "oliva", meaning the olive tree and its fruit, and
hence was originally given to a person who owned an orchard.
Since ancient times the olive has been regarded as a symbol of
peace, and legend links the olive branch with Noah and the Dove
- a symbol of God's reconcilation with man after the Great
Flood. The Italian Saint Oliva, whose feast day falls on June
3rd, is regarded as the patroness of olive crops. The personal
name is first recorded in England as Olyve, in the registers
known as the catalogue of ancient deeds for the county of
Northumberland in 1159, and it mainly owes its popularity to the
Crusaders. These people on their return from the always
unsuccessful task of trying to free the Holy Land from the
Muslims, gave 'biblical' names to th