Explore the Family Name Gala
The meaning of Gala
1. Polish (also Gała); Slovak and Czech (also Gála); Rusyn (in Poland also Gała): from a short form of the personal name Gal, Slovak and Czech Gál, from Latin Gallus (see Gall 3). Compare Galla. 2. Slovak and Rusyn (from Slovakia) (Gaľa): probably a cognate of 1 above, from a pet form of the name. 3. Indian (Gujarat): Jain name of unexplained etymology. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Bharat, Jayant, Kanti, Umesh, Ashok, Chetan, Daksha, Dilip, Hardev, Hema, Hemant, Himanshu.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gala in the United States?
The surname Gala, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 23,940 and had increased to 23,268 by 2010, making for a change of 2.81%. The count also rose during this period, going from 984 to 1,095, which represents an increase of 11.28%. Similarly, there was a small increase in the proportion per 100,000 people, moving from 0.36 to 0.37.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,940 | #23,268 | 2.81% |
| Count | 984 | 1,095 | 11.28% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.36 | 0.37 | 2.78% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gala
As for the ethnic identity associated with the Gala surname, the largest change reported in the Decennial U.S. Census data from 2000 to 2010 occurred among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group grew from representing 25% of individuals with the Gala surname in 2000 to nearly 30% in 2010, marking an increase of 19.8%. Individuals identifying as White represented the majority of Galas in both years but saw a decrease of 7.48%, resulting in them representing just over half (50.96%) of all Galas in 2010. Those identifying as Hispanic also decreased, falling from 15.45% to 13.97%. Conversely, those identifying as Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native, or belonging to two or more races all saw increases, with the latter two groups seeing the highest relative growth rates of 16.67% and 10.61% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 55.08% | 50.96% | -7.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 25% | 29.95% | 19.8% |
| Hispanic | 15.45% | 13.97% | -9.58% |
| Black | 2.13% | 2.47% | 15.96% |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 1.46% | 10.61% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.02% | 1.19% | 16.67% |