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

Governale, 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 Governale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Governale in America

Governale is the 34707th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Governale surname appeared 651 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 Governale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Governale 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 Governale

The surname Governale is of Italian origin, specifically from the southern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Italian word "governare," which means "to govern" or "to rule," indicating that the original bearers of this surname may have held positions of authority or governance.

One of the earliest known references to the Governale surname can be found in historical records from the city of Naples, dating back to the 14th century. These records mention individuals with the surname serving in various administrative roles within the local government or as officials in the court of the Neapolitan nobility.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Gian Battista Governale (1435-1505) was a renowned jurist and legal scholar from the city of Lecce, located in the Apulia region of southern Italy. His writings and teachings on civil law were highly influential during his time.

Another individual of historical significance was Pietro Governale (1580-1652), a celebrated architect and engineer from Naples. He is credited with designing and overseeing the construction of several prominent buildings and fortifications in the city, including the Castel Nuovo and the Palazzo Reale.

During the 17th century, the Governale surname can be found in records from the town of Bari, in the Puglia region. One notable entry mentions a merchant named Giovanni Governale (1620-1685), who was involved in the lucrative trade between Italy and the Ottoman Empire.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure bearing the Governale surname was Giuseppe Governale (1810-1878), a politician and statesman from Palermo, Sicily. He served as a member of the Sicilian Parliament and played a significant role in the unification of Italy under the House of Savoy.

While the Governale surname originated in Italy, over time, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the historical roots and earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the southern regions of Italy, particularly Naples, Lecce, Bari, and Palermo.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Governale

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

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

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

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