Explore the Family Name Pala
The meaning of Pala
1. Italian: topographic name from pala ‘upland meadow’. 2. Catalan and Italian: possibly also a metonymic occupational name from pala ‘shovel’ (from Latin pala), denoting someone who made or used this implement. 3. Catalan (Palà): habitational name from a place called Palà in Barcelona province. 4. Polish (also Pała) and Czech; Slovak (Paľa): from a short form of the personal name Polish Paweł (see Pawel), Czech Pavel, Slovak Pavol ‘Paul’. Compare Palla. 5. Czech: from Moravian dialect pala ‘head’, used as a nickname for an obstinate person. 6. Turkish: ornamental name or nickname from pala, a loanword from Italian denoting a kind of a scimitar resembling a shovel (pala in Italian; see above). 7. Indian: Gujarati name of unexplained etymology. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Severino, Antonio, Enio. Spanish Angel, Jorge, Juan, Manuel. Polish Andrzej, Danuta, Zbigniew.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pala in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Pala has grown in popularity during the last decade. In 2000, Pala was ranked as the 42,983rd most common surname, but by 2010 it had climbed to 35,993rd, a notable increase of 16.26%. The number of individuals with the surname also grew from 474 in 2000 to 623 in 2010, which is an impressive growth rate of 31.43%. The proportion of people named Pala per 100,000 population increased by 16.67% over this period, reflecting its rising popularity.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #42,983 | #35,993 | 16.26% |
| Count | 474 | 623 | 31.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.18 | 0.21 | 16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pala
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Pala, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased substantially from 10.97% to 19.58%. Meanwhile, those reporting their ethnicity as White decreased from 68.57% to 58.43%, and those identifying with two or more races dropped from 4.43% to 0.96%. The percentage of Palas identifying as Hispanic rose from 14.77% to 19.74%. Little change was seen among Blacks and American Indians/Alaskan Natives, with Blacks slightly increasing from 1.27% to 1.28%, while there were no recorded American Indians/Alaskan Natives under the Pala surname in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 68.57% | 58.43% | -14.79% |
| Hispanic | 14.77% | 19.74% | 33.65% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 10.97% | 19.58% | 78.49% |
| Black | 1.27% | 1.28% | 0.79% |
| Two or More Races | 4.43% | 0.96% | -78.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |