2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gallenberg
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a hill or mountain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Gallenberg. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gallenberg 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Gallenberg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gallenberg
The surname Gallenberg is of German origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the combination of the German words "gallen," meaning "to resound," and "berg," meaning "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name likely originated from a geographical location where echoes or sounds resonated from a particular hill or mountain range.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gallenberg surname can be traced back to the town of Gallenberg, located in the present-day state of Bavaria, Germany. This town was mentioned in historical records dating back to the 13th century, indicating that the surname may have originated from this specific place.
In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Gallenberger," was found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, which was a prominent center of trade and commerce during that time period. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been involved in business or trade activities in the region.
The earliest known individual with the surname Gallenberg was Konrad von Gallenberg, a nobleman who lived in the 14th century and was mentioned in the chronicles of the city of Regensburg in Bavaria.
Another notable figure was Hans Gallenberg, a renowned painter and woodcarver who lived in the 15th century and was renowned for his intricate altarpieces and religious artwork.
In the 17th century, a scholar and theologian named Johann Gallenberg made significant contributions to the field of theology and authored several influential works on religious doctrine.
During the 18th century, a military officer named Wilhelm Gallenberg served in the Prussian army and was recognized for his bravery and leadership during the Napoleonic Wars.
The 19th century saw the birth of Elise Gallenberg, a celebrated opera singer who performed on stages across Europe and was renowned for her powerful soprano voice.
While these are just a few examples, the Gallenberg surname has a rich history that spans centuries and can be traced back to its origins in the mountainous regions of Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gallenberg
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Gallenberg 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 Gallenberg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 108
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gallenberg
Gallenberg 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,470 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+5 bearers (+4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,983 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,470 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.5%) | Up 2,983 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 Gallenberg 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 | #147,253 | #144,270 | 2.0% |
| Count | 112 | 117 | 4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gallenberg bearers went from 112 to 117 (+4.5% change). The surname moved up 2,983 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #144,270.
FAQ
Gallenberg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gallenberg?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Gallenberg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Gallenberg?
Gallenberg ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Gallenberg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Gallenberg.
Has Gallenberg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gallenberg went from 112 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 5 (+4.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #147,253 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Gallenberg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallenberg, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). 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 Gallenberg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gallenberg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Two or More Races (4.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). 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 Gallenberg (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 Gallenberg mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a hill or mountain. 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 Gallenberg (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 Gallenberg?
You can see how many people have the surname Gallenberg on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.