2000
#22,505
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,067
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.40
Rare Last name
Gallow
A last name derived from the gallows, suggesting an association with execution or punishment.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,500 Americans carry the last name Gallow. That puts it at #20,515 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.44 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 228,503 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gallow 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 Gallow with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.5K
1 in 228,503
Census rank
#20,515
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,308 bearers of the surname Gallow in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.44 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 20515th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallow, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.1%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gallow
The surname Gallow is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word "galga," which means "gallows." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who lived near a gallows or may have been involved in executing criminals.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gallow can be traced back to the 13th century in various records and documents from different parts of England. One notable example is a reference to a Roger Gallow in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1275.
During the 14th century, the surname Gallow appeared in several other historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Gallow was mentioned. Additionally, the name was found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, indicating its presence in different regions of England.
In the 15th century, the surname Gallow continued to be documented in various records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Thomas Gallow was recorded in 1440.
One notable individual with the surname Gallow was John Gallow, a merchant and alderman in the City of London, who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1605 and played a significant role in the city's governance during that time.
Another prominent figure with the surname Gallow was Sir William Gallow, a military officer who served in the English Civil War during the 17th century. He fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
In the 18th century, the surname Gallow was associated with several notable individuals, including Robert Gallow, a renowned artist and sculptor who created various works of art for churches and public buildings in London and other parts of England.
During the 19th century, the name Gallow continued to be present in various records and documents, with individuals bearing this surname making contributions in various fields, such as literature, science, and politics.
One notable figure from this period was Emily Gallow, a pioneering female writer and activist who advocated for women's rights and social reforms. She published several influential works that brought attention to the struggles and challenges faced by women during that era.
Throughout its history, the surname Gallow has been found in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and London, among others. While the name's origins are rooted in Old English, it has evolved and adapted over time, with variations in spelling and pronunciation occurring across different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gallow
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallow, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.1%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gallow 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 Gallow surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American57.1% · 747
- White32.7% · 428
- Two or more races4.9% · 64
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gallow
Gallow 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
#24,388
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,027
-40 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 1,883 places
2020
#20,515
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,308
+281 bearers (+27.4%)
Per 100,000 0.44
Rank movement Up 3,873 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #22,505 | 1,067 | 0.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,388 | 1,027 | 0.35 | -40 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 1,883 places |
| 2020 | #20,515 | 1,308 | 0.44 | +281 bearers (+27.4%) | Up 3,873 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 Gallow 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 | #24,388 | #20,515 | 15.9% |
| Count | 1,027 | 1,308 | 27.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.44 | 25.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gallow bearers went from 1,027 to 1,308 (+27.4% change). The surname moved up 3,873 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,388 to #20,515.
FAQ
Gallow surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gallow?
Name Census estimates that about 1,500 living Americans carry the surname Gallow. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 228,503 residents.
How common is Gallow?
Gallow ranks #20,515 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.44 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 1,308 people with the surname Gallow. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,500), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.44 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.44 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 Gallow.
Has Gallow become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gallow went from 1,027 recorded bearers to 1,308. That is an increase of 281 (+27.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #24,388 to #20,515.
What does the Census say about the background of Gallow?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gallow, the largest self-reported group is Black at 57.1%. The next largest groups are White (32.7%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gallow in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.1% (747 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gallow appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (57.1%), White (32.7%), Two or More Races (4.9%). 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 Gallow (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 Gallow mean?
A last name derived from the gallows, suggesting an association with execution or punishment. 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 Gallow (0.44 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 many people share the surname Gallow?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.