Galdos last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Galdos

A surname of Spanish origin possibly derived from the name of the Galician town of Caldas.

Galdos, 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 Galdos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Galdos in America

Galdos is the 76275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Galdos surname appeared 252 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 Galdos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Galdos 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 76275 85996 -11.98%
Count 252 202 22.03%
Proportion per 100k 0.09 0.07 25.00%

The history of the last name Galdos

The surname Galdos originates from the Basque region of Spain and France, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Basque word "galde," which means "question" or "inquiry." This linguistic connection suggests that the name may have been associated with professions or roles involving communication, education, or legal matters.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Galdos surname can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 11th century. This document contains references to individuals bearing the name, indicating its prevalence in the region during that time period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Juan Galdos de Arrasate was mentioned in the Fueros de Vizcaya, a compilation of laws and customs governing the Lordship of Biscay. This historical reference suggests that members of the Galdos family held positions of authority or influence within the local community.

During the 16th century, the name Galdos appeared in various municipal records and church registers throughout the Basque provinces. One prominent individual was Pedro Galdos de Oñate (1520-1589), a renowned scholar and theologian who authored several works on ecclesiastical law and theology.

In the 18th century, the Galdos surname gained recognition through the accomplishments of Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920), a celebrated Spanish novelist and playwright known for his insightful depictions of 19th-century Spanish society. His literary works, such as the Novelas españolas contemporáneas and Episodios Nacionales, have secured his place as one of the most influential authors in Spanish literature.

Another notable figure was Juan Galdos y Chaparro (1765-1837), a Spanish military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent politician and statesman. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Spanish Constitution of 1812, contributing to the development of liberal and democratic principles in Spain.

In the 20th century, the Galdos surname continued to be associated with notable individuals, such as María Galdos (1909-1993), a renowned artist and sculptor whose works were exhibited in various galleries and museums throughout Spain and Europe.

While the Galdos surname has its roots in the Basque region, it has since spread to other parts of Spain and beyond, with individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields, including literature, arts, politics, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Galdos

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

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 Galdos was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 20.63% 52
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 78.17% 197

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 Galdos has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 20.63% 31.19% -40.76%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 78.17% 67.33% 14.90%

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

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

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"Galdos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/galdos-surname-popularity/.

"Galdos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/galdos-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Galdos last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/galdos-surname-popularity/.

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