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

Galeon, 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 Galeon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Galeon in America

Galeon is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Galeon surname appeared 160 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 Galeon.

The history of the last name Galeon

The surname Galeon is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Spanish word "galeón," which means "galleon," a type of multi-decked sailing vessel used primarily by European nations for warfare and trade from the 16th to 18th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Galeon can be found in a 14th-century Catalan manuscript, where it appears as "Galió," likely referring to an individual who worked on or owned a galleon. This connection to maritime life and seafaring traditions is a common theme throughout the history of the surname.

In the 16th century, during the height of Spanish exploration and conquest, several individuals bearing the surname Galeon were documented in the chronicles of the time. Notably, Pedro Galeon (1520-1585) was a Spanish navigator who accompanied the renowned explorer Juan Fernández on several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean.

As the name spread across the Iberian Peninsula and eventually to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, variations in spelling emerged, such as Galión, Galeón, and Galleón. One prominent figure was Juan Galión (1565-1630), a Spanish military officer who served as a governor in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (present-day Mexico) during the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the surname Galeon appeared in various historical records and manuscripts related to the Spanish Empire's naval activities. Joaquín Galeon (1705-1782) was a Spanish naval officer who participated in several battles against the British during the War of Jenkins' Ear and the Seven Years' War.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Galeon has been associated with several notable individuals, including María Galeon (1820-1895), a Spanish writer and poet known for her contributions to the Romantic literary movement in Spain, and Enrique Galeon (1875-1942), a renowned Argentine architect who designed several iconic buildings in Buenos Aires.

While the surname Galeon has its roots in the maritime traditions of the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by emigration and the diaspora of Spanish and Portuguese communities. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, reflecting the global reach of this historical name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Galeon

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

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 Galeon 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.

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

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

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