2000
#4,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,811
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.90
Uncommon Last name
Galarza
A Basque habitational surname indicating someone from any of the various places called Galarza in the Basque Country.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,300 Americans carry the last name Galarza. That puts it at #3,289 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.59 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,866 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Galarza surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,866
Census rank
#3,289
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,726 bearers of the surname Galarza in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.59 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3289th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Galarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Galarza
The surname GALARZA originates from the Basque region of Spain and France, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Basque word "galartza," which translates to "oak grove" or "oak forest." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have resided in or near areas abundant with oak trees.
In the early 14th century, records from the town of Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country mention individuals with the surname GALARZA. One of the earliest known references is found in a document dated 1312, which lists a Lope de Galarza as a landowner in the region.
As the name spread throughout the Basque provinces, variations in spelling emerged, including Galartza, Galarça, and Galarsa. Some of these variations can be attributed to the adaptation of the name to different languages and dialects within the region.
One notable figure bearing the GALARZA surname was Juan de Galarza, a 16th-century Basque navigator and explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico. He played a crucial role in the conquest of the Aztec Empire and is mentioned in several historical accounts from that era.
In the 17th century, the GALARZA name appeared in records from the town of Laguardia, located in the Rioja Alavesa region of Spain. A prominent figure from this period was Pedro de Galarza (1621-1687), a Basque architect and military engineer who worked on fortifications and public buildings throughout Spain and its colonies.
Another historically significant bearer of the GALARZA surname was Miguel de Galarza (1722-1804), a Spanish naval officer and cartographer who played a crucial role in mapping the coasts of South America during the Spanish colonial era.
In the 19th century, José María Galarza (1810-1878) was a prominent Ecuadorian politician and statesman who served as President of Ecuador from 1860 to 1865. He is remembered for his efforts to modernize the country and promote economic development.
Lastly, Javier Galarza (1941-2022) was a renowned Mexican actor and director who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career, earning critical acclaim for his performances.
These examples illustrate the widespread presence of the GALARZA surname across different countries and historical periods, highlighting its Basque origins and the contributions of its bearers to various fields, including exploration, architecture, cartography, politics, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Galarza
Among Census respondents with the surname Galarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Galarza bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Galarza surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.7% · 9,943
- White5.5% · 591
- Black or African American0.8% · 87
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 42
- Two or more races0.4% · 42
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 21
Timeline
Historical Census data for Galarza
Galarza appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,368
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,601
+2,790 bearers (+35.7%)
Per 100,000 3.59
Rank movement Up 837 places
2020
#3,289
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,726
+125 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 3.59
Rank movement Up 79 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,205 | 7,811 | 2.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,368 | 10,601 | 3.59 | +2,790 bearers (+35.7%) | Up 837 places |
| 2020 | #3,289 | 10,726 | 3.59 | +125 bearers (+1.2%) | Up 79 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Galarza surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,368 | #3,289 | 2.3% |
| Count | 10,601 | 10,726 | 1.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.59 | 3.59 | -0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Galarza bearers went from 10,601 to 10,726 (+1.2% change). The surname moved up 79 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,368 to #3,289.
FAQ
Galarza surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Galarza?
Name Census estimates that about 12,300 living Americans carry the surname Galarza. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 27,866 residents.
How common is Galarza?
Galarza ranks #3,289 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.59 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,726 people with the surname Galarza. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,300), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.59 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.59 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Galarza.
Has Galarza become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Galarza went from 10,601 recorded bearers to 10,726. That is an increase of 125 (+1.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,368 to #3,289.
What does the Census say about the background of Galarza?
Among Census respondents with the surname Galarza, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.7%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and Black (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Galarza in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (9,943 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Galarza appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.7%), White (5.5%), Black (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Galarza (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Galarza mean?
A Basque habitational surname indicating someone from any of the various places called Galarza in the Basque Country. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Galarza (3.59 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Galarza?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.