2000
#25,564
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 907
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.34
Rare Last name
Galland
A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the French word "gale" meaning a bare or windswept place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,097 Americans carry the last name Galland. That puts it at #26,812 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 312,447 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Galland surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Galland with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 312,447
Census rank
#26,812
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
957
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 957 bearers of the surname Galland in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 26812th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Galland, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Galland
The surname GALLAND originated in France during the medieval period, deriving from the French word "galer," which meant "to rejoice" or "to make merry." It was likely an occupational name initially given to jesters, minstrels, or entertainers who brought joy and merriment to people through their performances or activities.
The name was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of France, such as Normandy and Brittany, where it first emerged. However, it eventually spread to other parts of the country and even beyond its borders as people migrated.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GALLAND surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had already established a presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.
Notable individuals with the GALLAND surname include Antoine Galland (1646-1715), a French orientalist and archaeologist best known for his translation of the Arabian Nights. His work played a significant role in introducing Middle Eastern literature and culture to a Western audience.
Another prominent figure was Claude Galland (1672-1761), a French geographer and cartographer who served as the first Chief Hydrographic Engineer of the Depot des Cartes et Plans de la Marine, a French government institution responsible for producing nautical charts and maps.
In the realm of literature, Auguste Galland (1822-1902), a French writer and dramatist, made his mark with several plays and novels, including "La Terre Promise" and "Les Émigrés."
The GALLAND name also has a connection to the military. Cyrille Galland (1866-1955) was a French general who distinguished himself during World War I, particularly in the Battle of Verdun.
Lastly, Jean-Claude Galland (1941-), a French racing driver, achieved success in various motorsports disciplines, including endurance racing, where he won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1976.
While the GALLAND surname originated in France, it has since spread to other regions of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the joyful and entertaining occupations of its earliest bearers in medieval France.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Galland
Among Census respondents with the surname Galland, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Galland bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Galland surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 853
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 42
- Two or more races3.4% · 33
- Black or African American1.9% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Galland
Galland appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#29,198
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 811
-96 bearers (-10.6%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Down 3,634 places
2020
#26,812
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 957
+146 bearers (+18.0%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Up 2,386 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,564 | 907 | 0.34 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #29,198 | 811 | 0.27 | -96 bearers (-10.6%) | Down 3,634 places |
| 2020 | #26,812 | 957 | 0.32 | +146 bearers (+18.0%) | Up 2,386 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Galland surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #29,198 | #26,812 | 8.2% |
| Count | 811 | 957 | 18.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.27 | 0.32 | 18.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Galland bearers went from 811 to 957 (+18.0% change). The surname moved up 2,386 positions in the national ranking, going from #29,198 to #26,812.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Galland
FAQ
Galland surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Galland?
Name Census estimates that about 1,097 living Americans carry the surname Galland. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 312,447 residents.
How common is Galland?
Galland ranks #26,812 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 957 people with the surname Galland. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,097), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Galland.
Has Galland become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Galland went from 811 recorded bearers to 957. That is an increase of 146 (+18.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #29,198 to #26,812.
What does the Census say about the background of Galland?
Among Census respondents with the surname Galland, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Galland in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (853 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Galland appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Hispanic (4.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Galland (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Galland mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the French word "gale" meaning a bare or windswept place. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Galland (0.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Galland?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Galland at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.