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

Gallo, 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 Gallo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gallo in America

Gallo is the 1560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gallo surname appeared 23,056 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Gallo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gallo 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 Gallo

The surname Gallo originated in Italy and is derived from the Italian word "gallo" meaning "rooster" or "cock". It likely arose as a nickname for someone who exhibited cocky or strutting behavior, or perhaps for someone who bred or raised roosters.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gallo surname can be found in the 13th century Italian epic poem "Divina Commedia" by Dante Alighieri, where a character named Gallo is mentioned. The name was also present in the Florentine tax records of the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Gallo family was prominent in the city of Genoa, with members holding important positions in the government and military. Nicolò Gallo (1435-1509) was a renowned admiral and explorer who led several expeditions for the Republic of Genoa.

The Gallo surname is also associated with the town of Galluccio in the province of Caserta, Campania. It is believed that the name originated from this location, which was once known as "Galluzzo" or "Galluccio" in ancient times.

One of the most famous individuals with the Gallo surname was Francesco Gallo (1672-1750), an Italian painter and architect who was active in Naples during the Baroque period. His works can be found in various churches and palaces throughout the city.

Another notable bearer of the name was Agostino Gallo (1499-1570), an Italian scholar and naturalist who wrote extensively on the flora and fauna of Sicily. His work "Le Venti Giornate dell'Agricoltura" was a significant contribution to the study of agriculture in the 16th century.

In the 19th century, Giuseppe Gallo (1807-1857) was an Italian patriot and revolutionary who played a pivotal role in the Italian unification movement, fighting alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi in the Expedition of the Thousand.

Throughout history, the Gallo surname has been associated with various noble families in Italy, particularly in the regions of Genoa, Naples, and Sicily. While the name has spread to other parts of the world due to immigration, its roots can be traced back to the Italian peninsula and the cultural and historical significance it holds there.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gallo

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

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

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

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