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

Palao, 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 Palao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Palao in America

Palao is the 63068th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Palao surname appeared 317 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 Palao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Palao 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 Palao

The surname PALAO is of Spanish origin and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. The name may be derived from the Catalan word "palau," which means "palace" or "manor," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been associated with a noble or aristocratic household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PALAO can be found in the historical archives of Barcelona, where a certain Jaume Palao was mentioned as a landowner in the year 1487. The name also appears in various municipal records and property deeds from the 16th and 17th centuries, indicating that the Palao family had established a presence in various parts of Catalonia during that period.

In the 18th century, the surname PALAO gained more prominence when a notable figure named Juan Palao (1722-1799) served as a military officer in the Spanish army. He participated in several campaigns during the War of the Spanish Succession and was recognized for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

Another individual of note was Salvador Palao (1845-1923), a prominent architect and urban planner who contributed significantly to the development of Barcelona's iconic cityscape. His most renowned works include the design of the Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Passeig de Gràcia, one of the city's most famous avenues.

During the 19th century, the PALAO surname also found its way to the Americas, as many Spaniards emigrated to Latin American countries. One notable figure was Manuel Palao (1860-1932), a Mexican writer and journalist who played a significant role in the country's literary and cultural scene during the early 20th century.

Another prominent individual was Dolores Palao (1894-1976), a Spanish painter and sculptor who was part of the avant-garde art movement in the early 20th century. Her works were exhibited in major galleries across Europe and gained widespread recognition for their innovative and thought-provoking themes.

While the PALAO surname may not be among the most common in Spain or Latin America, it has a rich history dating back several centuries and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from military service and architecture to literature and art.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Palao

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!