2010
#157,234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Galate
A regional surname derived from the biblical name for Galatia, an ancient region in central Asia Minor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Galate. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Galate 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Galate in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Galate, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Black (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Galate
The surname Galate has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Piedmont, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "gala," which means "festive occasion" or "celebration." The name may have been given to someone who was associated with organizing or participating in such events.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Galate can be found in a document from the town of Asti, Piedmont, dated 1578. The record mentions a certain Giovanni Galate, who was a local merchant and landowner.
In the late 17th century, the Galate family gained prominence in the nearby town of Monferrato. Pietro Galate (1643-1721) was a renowned scholar and theologian who wrote several influential works on religious philosophy. His nephew, Matteo Galate (1675-1738), followed in his footsteps and became a respected professor of law at the University of Turin.
The name Galate also appears in some historical records from the Republic of Venice during the 18th century. Antonio Galate (1712-1778) was a successful merchant and shipowner who traded goods between Venice and the eastern Mediterranean ports.
In the 19th century, the Galate family had a presence in the city of Genoa. Giuseppe Galate (1825-1892) was a prominent banker and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and hospitals in the region.
Another notable figure with the surname Galate was Emilia Galate (1888-1964), an Italian feminist and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century.
While the name Galate is predominantly found in northern Italy, it has also spread to other parts of the country and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname contributing to various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Galate
Among Census respondents with the surname Galate, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Black (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Galate 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 Galate surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 6
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Galate
Galate appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,280 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #157,234 | 103 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Up 9,280 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 Galate 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 | #157,234 | #147,954 | 5.9% |
| Count | 103 | 112 | 8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 24.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Galate bearers went from 103 to 112 (+8.7% change). The surname moved up 9,280 positions in the national ranking, going from #157,234 to #147,954.
FAQ
Galate surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Galate?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Galate. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Galate?
Galate ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Galate. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Galate.
Has Galate become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Galate went from 103 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 9 (+8.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #157,234 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Galate?
Among Census respondents with the surname Galate, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Black (2.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Galate in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Galate appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (5.4%), Black (2.7%). 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 Galate (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 Galate mean?
A regional surname derived from the biblical name for Galatia, an ancient region in central Asia Minor. 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 Galate (0.04 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 share the surname Galate?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.