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

Galyon, 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 Galyon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Galyon in America

Galyon is the 18572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Galyon surname appeared 1,485 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Galyon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Galyon 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 Galyon

The surname Galyon has its roots in France, originating from the old French word "galion," which means "a large ship." The name likely emerged during the 16th or 17th century, a period when maritime trade and exploration were on the rise.

Galyon was likely an occupational surname, given to individuals involved in the shipping or naval industry, such as sailors, shipbuilders, or merchants. Some early bearers of the name may have been captains or owners of galleons, the large sailing ships used for trade and exploration during that era.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Galyon can be found in the records of the French city of Marseille, a significant port city in the Mediterranean region. In the late 16th century, a merchant named Pierre Galyon was documented as conducting trade with various Mediterranean ports.

As the name spread across France, it underwent several variations in spelling, including Galioun, Gallioun, and Gallion. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic adaptations that occurred over time.

During the 17th century, the name Galyon appeared in various historical documents, including maritime logs and port records. One notable figure was Jean-Baptiste Galyon, a French naval officer born in 1658, who served in the French Navy during the Nine Years' War against England and the Dutch Republic.

In the 18th century, the Galyon name gained prominence in the French colonies of the Caribbean and North America. Jacques Galyon, born in 1712 in Martinique, was a successful plantation owner and trader, contributing to the economic development of the French West Indies.

Another notable bearer of the name was Marie-Thérèse Galyon, born in 1765 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was a prominent figure in the social and cultural life of the French colony, known for her philanthropy and support of the arts.

As the name spread beyond France, it took on various forms in different languages and cultures. In Spain, for instance, the name became Galión, while in English-speaking regions, it was often anglicized to Gallion or Gillion.

Throughout history, the Galyon surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from seafarers and merchants to military personnel and landowners, reflecting the name's maritime origins and its subsequent adaptation to various professions and social strata.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Galyon

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

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

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

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