Find out how popular the last name España is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named España.

España, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the España surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of España in America

España is the 8019th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The España surname appeared 4,127 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname España.

We can also compare 2010 data for España to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name España

The surname Espana originated from the Spanish word "España", which means "Spain" in English. This name has its roots in the country of Spain and can be traced back to the medieval period, particularly the 12th and 13th centuries.

The surname Espana likely originated from individuals who hailed from Spain or had a strong connection to the country. It was common for people during that era to adopt surnames based on their place of origin, occupation, or physical characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Espana can be found in the "Libro de las Behetrías" (Book of Behetries), a medieval Spanish document from the 14th century that lists various noble families and their possessions. The document mentions individuals with the surname Espana, indicating its existence during that time period.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname Espana was Alonso de Espana, a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in several voyages to the Americas alongside Christopher Columbus. Alonso de Espana was born around 1460 and played a crucial role in the early Spanish exploration and colonization efforts in the New World.

Another notable individual with the surname Espana was Francisco de Espana, a Spanish soldier and conquistador who lived in the 16th century. He was part of the Spanish conquest of Mexico and participated in several battles against the Aztec Empire under the command of Hernán Cortés.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's masterpiece, "Don Quixote," published in 1605 and 1615. Within its pages, the character of Alonso Quijano, also known as Don Quixote, encounters a character named Cardenio, whose last name is Espana.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Espana was Juan de Espana, a Spanish painter who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his religious paintings and works commissioned by various churches and monasteries in Spain.

In more recent times, Alejandro Espana was a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice during the Second Spanish Republic in the 1930s. He played a significant role in the country's political landscape during a turbulent period in its history.

While the surname Espana has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Spanish colonization and migration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Spain, where it was likely derived from individuals closely associated with the country or its regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name España

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname España.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for España was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of España has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name España was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of España, please contact us.

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