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

Espenosa, 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 Espenosa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espenosa in America

Espenosa is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espenosa surname appeared 136 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 Espenosa.

The history of the last name Espenosa

The surname Espenosa is believed to have originated in Spain, likely in the regions of Andalusia or Murcia, sometime during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Spanish word "espinosa," which means "thorny" or "prickly," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a thorny or prickly area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript that documents hunting activities in the region of Andalusia. This text mentions a place called "Espinosa de la Sierra," which could have been the origin of the surname for those who lived in or near that area.

In the 15th century, there are records of a nobleman named Juan de Espenosa, who served as a advisor to King Juan II of Castile. This suggests that the name had gained some prominence by that time.

During the 16th century, the Spanish explorer and conquistador Gaspar de Espenosa was born in Seville, Spain, in 1512. He is known for his explorations in Mexico and his role in the pacification of the Chichimeca people in what is now northern Mexico.

Another notable figure with this surname was Alonso de Espenosa, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the 16th century. He was involved in the conquest of Granada and is mentioned in historical accounts from that period.

In the 17th century, there was a Spanish writer and poet named Pedro de Espenosa, who was born in Antequera, Andalusia, around 1590. He is best known for his work titled "Flores de Poetas Ilustres," which was a collection of poems by various Spanish authors.

Over time, variations of the spelling may have emerged, such as Espinosa or Espinoza, but the origin and meaning of the name remained consistent, referring to its connection to thorny or prickly areas in Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espenosa

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

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 Espenosa 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.

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

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

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