2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Galima
A Portuguese surname derived from the given name Galina, meaning "hen" or "chicken".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Galima. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Galima 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Galima in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Galima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (8.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Galima
The surname GALIMA has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Castile and León in Spain. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Galician or Portuguese term "galima," which refers to a type of fog or mist that often forms near coastal areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GALIMA can be found in a document from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, dated to the year 1224. This document mentions a certain "Pedro Galima," who was a landowner in the nearby village of Ezcaray. It is likely that this individual or his ancestors adopted the surname as a reference to their place of origin or residence, which may have been an area known for its frequent fog or mist.
In the 14th century, there are records of a nobleman named Rodrigo GALIMA, who served as a knight in the court of King Alfonso XI of Castile (1311-1350). This indicates that the GALIMA surname had gained some prominence during that period, as it was associated with a member of the nobility.
Another notable person bearing the GALIMA surname was María GALIMA, a notable poet and writer who lived in the city of Seville during the late 15th century. She is known for her works celebrating the Reconquista and the unification of Spain under the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.
In the 16th century, a Jesuit priest named Juan GALIMA (c. 1540-1612) gained recognition for his missionary work in the Americas. He was instrumental in the evangelization efforts among the indigenous populations of what is now Mexico and Central America.
During the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname GALIMA was Diego GALIMA, a skilled architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and public buildings in the city of Granada, including the Cathedral of Granada.
Throughout its history, the GALIMA surname has maintained a strong presence in various regions of Spain, particularly in the areas of Castile, León, and Andalusia. While the name may have evolved from its original meaning related to fog or mist, it has become an integral part of Spanish cultural heritage and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Galima
Among Census respondents with the surname Galima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (8.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Galima 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 Galima surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander78.3% · 94
- Two or more races9.2% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- White2.5% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Galima
Galima appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+8 bearers (+7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,383 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 909 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.3%) | Down 1,383 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 909 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 Galima 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 | #141,140 | #142,049 | -0.6% |
| Count | 118 | 120 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Galima bearers went from 118 to 120 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 909 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,049.
FAQ
Galima surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Galima?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Galima. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Galima?
Galima ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Galima. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Galima.
Has Galima become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Galima went from 118 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Galima?
Among Census respondents with the surname Galima, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.2%) and Hispanic (8.3%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Galima in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.3% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Galima appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (78.3%), Two or More Races (9.2%), Hispanic (8.3%). 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 Galima (2000, 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 Galima mean?
A Portuguese surname derived from the given name Galina, meaning "hen" or "chicken". 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 Galima (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 common is the surname Galima?
If you just want to know how common the surname Galima is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.