Find out how popular the last name Degala is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Degala.

Degala, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Degala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Degala in America

Degala is the 69793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Degala surname appeared 281 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Degala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Degala to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Degala

The surname DEGALA is believed to have originated in the region of Galicia, which spans parts of modern-day Spain and Portugal. The earliest records of this surname can be traced back to the 12th century, during the height of the Reconquista period in the Iberian Peninsula.

The name DEGALA is thought to be derived from the Latin word "vallum," which means "wall" or "rampart." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked on defensive structures, such as fortifications or city walls.

One of the earliest documented references to the DEGALA surname can be found in the "Tumbo Negro" of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This record mentions a certain "Pedro Degala" as a landowner in the region.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Juan Degala served as a magistrate in the city of Pontevedra, Galicia. His name appears in several legal documents and municipal records from that time.

During the 15th century, the DEGALA surname gained prominence in the region of Asturias, located in northern Spain. A prominent family bearing this name held land and properties in the town of Gijón, as evidenced by historical records from the era.

One of the earliest known individuals with the DEGALA surname was Álvaro Degala, born in 1472 in Vigo, Galicia. He was a renowned navigator and explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Another prominent figure was Diego Degala, born in 1598 in Oviedo, Asturias. He was a respected theologian and scholar who taught at the University of Salamanca and wrote several influential works on religious philosophy.

In the 17th century, a notable military commander named Gonzalo Degala, born in 1622 in Santiago de Compostela, fought in the Thirty Years' War and earned a reputation for his strategic prowess and valor on the battlefield.

During the 18th century, the DEGALA surname gained recognition in the field of literature. José María Degala, born in 1758 in Ourense, Galicia, was a prominent poet and playwright whose works were widely celebrated during the Spanish Enlightenment.

It is worth noting that variations of the DEGALA surname, such as "Degallas" or "Degala," can also be found in historical records, particularly in the regions of Galicia and Asturias.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Degala

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Degala.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Degala was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Degala has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Degala was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Degala, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!