Explore the Family Name Galaz

The meaning of Galaz

Spanish (Gálaz) and Portuguese: possibly from a personal name of literary origin. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Ruben, Jesus, Luis, Alfredo, Armando, Fernando, Jose, Lupe, Manuel, Adolfo, Alonzo, Ana.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Galaz in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Galaz has seen a growth in popularity within the United States. In the year 2000, Galaz ranked 19,976 in popularity, but by 2010 it had climbed to 17,691 — an 11.44% increase. Furthermore, the count of individuals carrying the Galaz surname rose from 1,243 in 2000 to 1,586 in 2010, marking a significant 27.59% rise. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also increased by 17.39%.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#19,976	#17,691	11.44%
Count	1,243	1,586	27.59%
Proportion per 100k	0.46	0.54	17.39%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Galaz

When looking at the ethnicity of those bearing the surname Galaz, data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The Hispanic population holding the Galaz name increased by 4.98%, bringing their representation up to 87.07% in 2010. On the other hand, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 41.81%, dropping to 3.09%. Similarly, there was a substantial decrease (63.81%) in the population that identifies with two or more races, falling to just 0.38%. The white population carrying the surname saw a minor drop of 6.68%, making up 9.08% in 2010. No individuals with the Galaz surname were recorded as Asian/Pacific Islander or Black in either census year.

	2000	2010	Change
Hispanic	82.94%	87.07%	4.98%
White	9.73%	9.08%	-6.68%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	5.31%	3.09%	-41.81%
Two or More Races	1.05%	0.38%	-63.81%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Black	0%	0%	0%