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

Gala, 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 Gala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gala in America

Gala is the 23268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gala surname appeared 1,095 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 Gala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gala 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 Gala

The surname Gala originated in Spain during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "gala," which means "celebration" or "festivity." The name may have been given to someone who lived near or worked at a place where celebrations or festivities took place, such as a fairground or a theater.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gala can be found in historical documents from the 13th century in the regions of Catalonia and Aragon. The spelling variations at the time included Galla, Galla, and Gala. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Joan Gala, a merchant from Barcelona who was mentioned in a trade record from 1287.

In the 14th century, the surname Gala appeared in the village of Gala, located in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia. This place name was likely derived from the Latin word "gallus," meaning "rooster," which may have been a reference to the local economy or a distinctive feature of the area.

The Gala surname gained prominence in the 15th century when it was associated with the Spanish nobleman Pedro Gala (1425-1491), who served as a military commander under King Ferdinand II of Aragon. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the Spanish court and military throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

Another notable bearer of the Gala surname was the Spanish artist Salvador Dalí (1904-1989), whose full name was Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquis of Pubol. Although his surname is often spelled differently, it is believed to have originated from the same root as Gala.

Other historical figures with the surname Gala include:

1. Antonio Gala (1936-2022), a Spanish novelist and playwright.
2. Remedios Gala (1923-1963), a Spanish actress and singer.
3. Juan Gala (1675-1748), a Spanish Baroque painter.
4. Emilio Gala (1890-1954), a Mexican actor and filmmaker.
5. Roberta Gala (born 1963), an Italian journalist and author.

The Gala surname has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange, but its origins can be traced back to the rich history and traditions of medieval Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gala

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

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

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

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