2000
#12,311
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,316
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Esh
A toponymic surname derived from places named Ash or Aish, indicating a dwelling near an ash tree.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,985 Americans carry the last name Esh. That puts it at #7,393 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.45 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,757 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Esh 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.
Bearers in the US
5.0K
1 in 68,757
Census rank
#7,393
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,347 bearers of the surname Esh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.45 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7393rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Esh, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Esh
The surname Esh has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "esc," which referred to an ash tree. The name was likely initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near an ash tree or an area with a significant presence of ash trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Esh can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a collection of records from the late 13th century, where it appears as "de Essche." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific place name or location involving ash trees.
In the 14th century, the surname Esh appeared in various historical records, such as the Placita de Quo Warranto, where it was spelled "Esshe." This document, which dates back to 1292-1294, recorded legal proceedings related to land ownership and rights.
Notably, the surname Esh is mentioned in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation conducted in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This historical record provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name during the Norman era.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Esh was Robert de Essche, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297. Another notable figure was John Esh, a merchant from Bristol, who was recorded in the city's trade records in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the surname Esh was associated with several prominent individuals, including William Esh (1510-1578), a landowner from Warwickshire, and Elizabeth Esh (1543-1611), a scholar and translator who was instrumental in translating various works from Latin into English.
During the 17th century, the name Esh gained further recognition with figures like Thomas Esh (1620-1698), a influential clergyman and author from Oxfordshire, and Mary Esh (1655-1721), a renowned philanthropist and benefactor who supported various charitable causes in London.
As the surname Esh spread across different regions of England, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Ash, Ashe, and Eshe, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.
Throughout its history, the surname Esh has been associated with numerous individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, merchants, scholars, clergymen, and philanthropists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Esh
Among Census respondents with the surname Esh, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Esh 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 Esh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.3% · 4,272
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 33
- Two or more races0.6% · 25
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 7
- Black or African American0.1% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Esh
Esh 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
#9,227
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,529
+1,213 bearers (+52.4%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Up 3,084 places
2020
#7,393
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,347
+818 bearers (+23.2%)
Per 100,000 1.45
Rank movement Up 1,834 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,311 | 2,316 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,227 | 3,529 | 1.20 | +1,213 bearers (+52.4%) | Up 3,084 places |
| 2020 | #7,393 | 4,347 | 1.45 | +818 bearers (+23.2%) | Up 1,834 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 Esh 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 | #9,227 | #7,393 | 19.9% |
| Count | 3,529 | 4,347 | 23.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.45 | 21.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Esh bearers went from 3,529 to 4,347 (+23.2% change). The surname moved up 1,834 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,227 to #7,393.
FAQ
Esh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Esh?
Name Census estimates that about 4,985 living Americans carry the surname Esh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,757 residents.
How common is Esh?
Esh ranks #7,393 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.45 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,347 people with the surname Esh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,985), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.45 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.45 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Esh.
Has Esh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Esh went from 3,529 recorded bearers to 4,347. That is an increase of 818 (+23.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,227 to #7,393.
What does the Census say about the background of Esh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Esh, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.8%) and Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Esh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (4,272 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Esh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.3%), Hispanic (0.8%), Two or More Races (0.6%). 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 Esh (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 Esh mean?
A toponymic surname derived from places named Ash or Aish, indicating a dwelling near an ash tree. 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 Esh (1.45 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 have the surname Esh?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.