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

Espe, 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 Espe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espe in America

Espe is the 29064th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espe surname appeared 816 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 Espe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espe 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 Espe

The surname Espe is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. Its earliest known form is said to be derived from the Old German word "espe," which referred to the aspen tree. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a grove of aspen trees or was associated with the wood from these trees.

In the 13th century, records show the name appearing in various German regions, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River. One of the earliest documented instances is found in a document from 1247, which mentions a "Heinrich von Espe" from the town of Cologne.

The name Espe can also be traced to several place names across Germany, such as Espe in North Rhine-Westphalia and Espe in Lower Saxony. These locations may have contributed to the widespread use of the surname and its variations, like Espen or Espens.

Notable individuals with the surname Espe include Johann Wilhelm Espe (1700-1771), a German botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant anatomy and physiology. Another prominent figure was Karl Espe (1824-1899), a German-American architect who designed several landmark buildings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, including the Pabst Mansion.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name Espe dates back to the late 18th century, with the arrival of German immigrants. Johannes Espe (1755-1823) was among the first to settle in Pennsylvania, where he worked as a farmer and established a family lineage that continues to this day.

Another individual of note was August Espe (1862-1937), a German-American artist and painter who gained recognition for his landscape and genre paintings depicting scenes from rural life in Wisconsin and the American West.

While the surname Espe may not be among the most common, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and can be found across various regions of Germany and the United States, particularly in areas with a strong German-American heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espe

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

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

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

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