Española last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Española

A surname referring to a person from Spain or of Spanish descent.

Española, 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 Española surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Española in America

Española is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Española surname appeared 203 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Española.

We can also compare 2010 data for Española 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 90853 94227 -3.65%
Count 203 180 12.01%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Española

The surname "ESPANOLA" has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the Spanish word "españa," meaning "Spain," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname were either from Spain or had some connection to the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "ESPANOLA" can be found in historical documents from the 14th century, where it appears as "Espannola." This spelling variation indicates the name's Spanish roots and its evolution over time.

During the Reconquista, a period of nearly eight centuries in which Christian kingdoms fought to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule, the name "ESPANOLA" might have been used to identify individuals who played a role in this significant historical event or were associated with the reconquest effort.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "ESPANOLA" was Juan de Espanola (1420-1489), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. His participation in this pivotal exploration underscores the historical significance of the name "ESPANOLA."

Another prominent individual with this surname was María de Espanola (1565-1640), a renowned Spanish poet and writer during the Golden Age of Spanish literature. Her literary works shed light on the cultural and intellectual landscape of 16th and 17th century Spain, further establishing the name's deep roots in Spanish history.

In the 18th century, the name "ESPANOLA" appeared in various historical records, such as the baptismal and marriage registers of Spanish parishes. One notable example is Pedro Espanola (1712-1780), a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the War of the Spanish Succession.

During the 19th century, the surname "ESPANOLA" continued to be prevalent in Spain, with several notable figures emerging. One such individual was Francisco Espanola (1825-1892), a Spanish artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraiture, whose works were exhibited in renowned galleries across Europe.

While the name "ESPANOLA" has its origins in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange, carrying with it a rich historical legacy and a deep connection to Spanish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Española

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

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 Española was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 9.36% 19
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 73.89% 150
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.45% 7
Hispanic Origin 13.30% 27

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 Española has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 9.36% 11.11% -17.10%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander 73.89% 72.22% 2.29%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 3.45% 3.89% -11.99%
Hispanic 13.30% 12.78% 3.99%

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 Española was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Española last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/espanola-surname-popularity/.

"Española last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/espanola-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Española last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/espanola-surname-popularity/.

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