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

Galla, 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 Galla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Galla in America

Galla is the 23397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Galla surname appeared 1,087 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 Galla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Galla 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 Galla

The surname Galla is of Italian origin, originating from the northern region of Lombardy during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Latin word "gallus," which means "rooster" or "cockerel." This suggests that the name may have initially been a nickname given to someone who exhibited rooster-like qualities or perhaps had a connection with poultry farming.

In the 11th century, the name Galla appeared in various historical records, including the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis," a collection of medieval documents from the Cava de' Tirreni monastery in Campania. One notable entry from 1089 mentions a certain "Petrus Galla" as a witness to a land transaction.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Galla was Giovanni Galla, born around 1150 in the town of Bergamo, Lombardy. He was a respected merchant and landowner, and his name can be found in the "Liber Potheris," a historical document from the city's archives.

During the 13th century, the Galla family gained prominence in the city of Pavia, where they were involved in local politics and governance. A notable figure was Giacomo Galla (1225-1287), who served as a magistrate and played a crucial role in resolving conflicts between rival noble families.

In the 15th century, the name Galla appeared in the famous "Codice Diplomatico Longobardo," a collection of historical documents from the Lombard period. One entry from 1467 mentions a "Petrus de Galla" as a landowner in the town of Varese.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Galla have achieved recognition in various fields. For example, Antonio Galla (1560-1628) was a renowned architect from Vicenza, known for his work on churches and palaces in the Venetian Republic. Girolamo Galla (1635-1714) was a respected jurist and legal scholar from Milan, whose writings on civil law were widely studied.

Other notable figures include:

1. Giovanni Battista Galla (1718-1787), an Italian painter and engraver from Bassano del Grappa, known for his religious artwork.
2. Carlo Galla (1805-1881), an Italian composer and music teacher from Piacenza, who composed several operas and symphonies.
3. Placido Galla (1888-1962), an Italian sculptor from Carrara, famous for his marble statues and monuments.
4. Luciano Galla (1920-2008), an Italian architect and urban planner from Padua, known for his modernist designs and city planning projects.
5. Ermanno Galla (born 1939), an Italian businessman and philanthropist from Milan, who founded a successful construction company and supports various charitable causes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Galla

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

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

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

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