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

Galer, 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 Galer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Galer in America

Galer is the 50851st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Galer surname appeared 410 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 Galer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Galer 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 Galer

The surname Galer originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old German word "gāl," meaning "loud" or "noisy," suggesting that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone with a boisterous or outspoken personality.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various German records, often spelled as "Galer" or "Galler." One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomatus, a collection of historical manuscripts from the region of Saxony, where a certain "Heinrich Galer" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1268.

As the name spread throughout Germany, it evolved into several variations, such as "Gahler," "Gaehler," and "Gehler." These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

The surname Galer has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Johannes Galer, a German scholar and theologian born in 1532 in Saxony. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several treatises on religious doctrine.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the Thirty Years' War, with a certain "Hans Galer" listed as a soldier in the German army. This conflict, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, played a significant role in shaping the political and religious landscape of Europe.

Another notable bearer of the Galer name was Johann Galer, a German artist and engraver born in 1708 in Nuremberg. His intricate etchings and engravings were highly regarded during his lifetime and are now considered important works of the Baroque period.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the field of science with the birth of August Friedrich Galer, a German chemist and professor at the University of Göttingen. Born in 1828, Galer made significant contributions to the study of organic chemistry and published numerous scholarly works.

One of the most recent notable figures with the surname Galer is the American artist and sculptor Juliet Galer, born in 1944. Her works, which often explore themes of nature and the human form, have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States and internationally.

While the origin of the surname Galer can be traced back to Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers of the name found in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Galer

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

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

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

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