2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gallett
A variant French surname derived from the Old French word "galet" meaning a pebble or small stone.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Gallett. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gallett 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gallett with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Gallett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gallett
The surname Gallett is of French origin, with its roots tracing back to the Normandy region of northern France during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "galet," which means "pebble" or "small smooth stone." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname or occupational name to someone who worked with pebbles or stones, such as a stonemason or a person living near a pebble-strewn area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gallett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this text, the name appears in various spellings, including "Galet" and "Galette," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.
The surname Gallett spread across England and other parts of the British Isles during the Norman Conquest, as many French settlers brought their surnames with them. Some notable individuals bearing this name include Sir William Gallett (1522-1586), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament during the Tudor period, and John Gallett (1630-1695), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor known for his innovative timepiece designs.
In Scotland, the Gallett surname can be traced back to the 15th century, with records showing a Robert Gallett residing in Aberdeen in 1467. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Gallett (1568-1631), a Scottish military commander who served in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.
Across the Atlantic, the Gallett surname found its way to the American colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries, as French Huguenot immigrants sought religious freedom and new opportunities. One such individual was Pierre Gallett (1685-1759), a French Protestant who settled in South Carolina and established a successful plantation.
In France itself, the Gallett name has been associated with various notable figures throughout history, including Jean-Baptiste Gallett (1753-1834), a renowned French architect who designed several iconic buildings in Paris, and Marie-Antoinette Gallett (1792-1871), a celebrated French painter known for her exquisite portraits and landscapes.
While the spelling and pronunciation of the surname may have evolved over time, the Gallett name continues to hold a rich history and cultural significance, tracing its origins back to the medieval era and reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have borne it across generations and continents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gallett
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gallett 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 Gallett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6% · 93
- Two or more races5.7% · 6
- Black or African American2.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gallett
Gallett 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-22 bearers (-17.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 30,405 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-17.5%) | Down 30,405 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,055 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 Gallett 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 | #156,044 | #152,989 | 2.0% |
| Count | 104 | 105 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gallett bearers went from 104 to 105 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,989.
FAQ
Gallett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gallett?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Gallett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Gallett?
Gallett ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Gallett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Gallett.
Has Gallett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gallett went from 104 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Gallett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallett, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.7%) and Black (2.9%). 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 Gallett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.6% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gallett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.6%), Two or More Races (5.7%), Black (2.9%). 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 Gallett (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 Gallett mean?
A variant French surname derived from the Old French word "galet" meaning a pebble or small stone. 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 Gallett (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 many people are called Gallett?
Want to know how many people have the surname Gallett? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.