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

Gales, 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 Gales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gales in America

Gales is the 7937th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gales surname appeared 4,169 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gales 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 Gales

The surname GALES is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "gales," meaning "wind" or "gale." This name likely referred to someone who lived in an exposed or windy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GALES surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Johannes de Gales from Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, referencing a William Gales.

During the Middle Ages, the GALES surname was often associated with place names containing the word "gale," such as Gale in Yorkshire and Gales in Surrey. Some early bearers of the name may have hailed from these locations or nearby areas.

In the 14th century, the GALES surname appeared in several historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a John Gales. The name also surfaces in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, listing a Robert Gales.

Notable individuals with the GALES surname throughout history include John Gales (1680-1762), an English Baptist minister and author, and Joseph Gales (1761-1841), an English journalist and publisher who emigrated to the United States and established the National Intelligencer newspaper.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Gales (1788-1838), an American journalist and politician who served as the Mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1827 to 1830. He was the son of Joseph Gales mentioned earlier.

In the realm of literature, Ann Gales (1805-1878), an English novelist and writer, gained recognition for her works, including "The Miser's Daughter" and "The Wye and its Associations."

Additionally, Sir Edward Gales (1837-1909), a British civil engineer and surveyor, made significant contributions to the construction of railways and public works projects in India during the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gales

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

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

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

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