2000
#56,979
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 335
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Galin
A surname possibly derived from the French "Gaulois" meaning Gaulish or Celtic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 413 Americans carry the last name Galin. That puts it at #60,433 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 829,914 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Galin 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
413
1 in 829,914
Census rank
#60,433
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
360
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 360 bearers of the surname Galin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 60433rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Galin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Galin
The surname Galin has its origins in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, particularly in modern-day Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.
One theory suggests that the name Galin is derived from the Slavic word "gal," which means "oak tree" or "forest." This connection implies that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived in or near a forested area, or perhaps were involved in occupations related to woodwork or forestry.
Another possible origin of the name Galin is that it could be a patronymic surname, formed by adding the Slavic suffix "-in" to a given name such as "Gal" or "Galio." Patronymic surnames were common in Slavic cultures and indicated that the bearer was the son or descendant of someone with that given name.
In terms of historical references, the earliest recorded instances of the surname Galin can be found in various medieval records and documents from the region. For example, in 1382, a man named Stanislaw Galin was mentioned in the records of the city of Krakow, Poland.
One notable individual with the surname Galin was Jan Galin, a Czech painter and engraver who lived from 1609 to 1661. He is known for his intricate etchings and engravings, many of which depicted religious scenes and landscapes.
Another person of note was Jozef Galin, a Slovak writer and journalist who lived from 1819 to 1876. He played a significant role in promoting Slovak literature and culture during the 19th century national revival movement.
In Russia, the surname Galin was also present, as evidenced by the existence of Nikolai Galin, a Russian military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a governor in the Russian Empire. He lived from 1788 to 1853.
Furthermore, the name Galin has been associated with various place names throughout the Slavic regions. For instance, the village of Galino in Poland is believed to have derived its name from the surname Galin, possibly indicating that it was once the dwelling place of a family or community bearing this name.
While these are just a few examples, the surname Galin has a rich history and can be traced back to various regions and individuals throughout Eastern Europe, reflecting the diverse cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped this part of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Galin
Among Census respondents with the surname Galin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Galin 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 Galin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 317
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 22
- Two or more races3.6% · 13
- Black or African American1.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Galin
Galin 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
#62,359
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 321
-14 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 5,380 places
2020
#60,433
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 360
+39 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Up 1,926 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #56,979 | 335 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #62,359 | 321 | 0.11 | -14 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 5,380 places |
| 2020 | #60,433 | 360 | 0.12 | +39 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 1,926 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 Galin 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 | #62,359 | #60,433 | 3.1% |
| Count | 321 | 360 | 12.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.12 | 9.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Galin bearers went from 321 to 360 (+12.1% change). The surname moved up 1,926 positions in the national ranking, going from #62,359 to #60,433.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Galin
FAQ
Galin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Galin?
Name Census estimates that about 413 living Americans carry the surname Galin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 829,914 residents.
How common is Galin?
Galin ranks #60,433 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 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 360 people with the surname Galin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (413), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 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 Galin.
Has Galin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Galin went from 321 recorded bearers to 360. That is an increase of 39 (+12.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #62,359 to #60,433.
What does the Census say about the background of Galin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Galin, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Galin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (317 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Galin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (6.1%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Galin (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 Galin mean?
A surname possibly derived from the French "Gaulois" meaning Gaulish or Celtic. 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 Galin (0.12 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 Galin?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Galin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.