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

Gal, 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 Gal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gal in America

Gal is the 22000th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gal surname appeared 1,179 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 Gal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gal 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 Gal

The surname "GAL" originated in the 11th century in the region of Normandy, France. It is derived from the Old French word "gal," which means "joyful" or "high-spirited." This name was initially given as a nickname to someone with a cheerful or lively personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus Gal in Lincolnshire, England. This suggests that the name had already spread from Normandy to England by the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Gall" and "Galle," in medieval records from different parts of France and England. One notable bearer of the name was Robert Gal, a Norman knight who served under King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the name was associated with several place names in France, such as Galleville and Gallemache, indicating that some families adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 14th century, the surname Gal was found in Scotland, where it is believed to have been introduced by Norman settlers. One prominent Scottish bearer of the name was Sir Alexander Gal, a knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

Another notable person with the surname Gal was Francois Gal, a French painter and engraver born in 1635. He was known for his religious paintings and engravings, and his works adorned several churches in Paris and other parts of France.

In the 18th century, a German philosopher and writer named Heinrich Gal lived from 1735 to 1790. He was known for his contributions to the field of aesthetics and his writings on the theory of art.

During the 19th century, the surname Gal was found in various parts of Europe, including Poland, where a prominent bearer was Stanisław Gal, a writer and poet born in 1834. He was celebrated for his contributions to Polish literature and his works reflecting the struggles of the Polish people during the partitions of Poland.

Throughout history, the surname Gal has been associated with various occupations and professions, from knights and soldiers to artists, writers, and philosophers. Its origins as a nickname for a cheerful or high-spirited person have given way to a rich tapestry of individuals who have left their mark on different aspects of human endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gal

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

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 Gal 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 Gal 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 Gal was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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