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

Espenoza, 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 Espenoza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espenoza in America

Espenoza is the 92358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espenoza surname appeared 199 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 Espenoza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espenoza 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 Espenoza

The surname ESPENOZA has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Spain and Portugal. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, likely between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name bears a resemblance to the Spanish word "espinosa," which means "thorny" or "prickly," suggesting a possible connection to either a place name or an occupation related to the cultivation or processing of thorny plants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ESPENOZA can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile. This document contains references to various place names, including "Espenoza," which could have been a village or a region where the surname originated.

During the 15th century, the name ESPENOZA gained prominence with the rise of the Spanish explorer and navigator Juan de Espenoza (c. 1420-1490). Juan is believed to have been born in Seville, Spain, and played a significant role in the early exploration and colonization efforts of the Spanish Crown in the Americas.

Another notable figure with the surname ESPENOZA was Pedro de Espenoza (1490-1554), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. Pedro is credited with establishing the city of Trujillo in present-day northern Peru, which became an important colonial settlement.

In the realm of literature, the name ESPENOZA is associated with the 17th-century Spanish writer and playwright Juan de Espenoza y Velasco (1590-1655). He was a prominent figure in the Golden Age of Spanish literature and is best known for his plays and comedies, which were widely performed during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, the ESPENOZA surname was carried by Miguel de Espenoza (1715-1790), a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish colonial army and fought in various campaigns in the Americas, including the defense of Havana against the British in 1762.

Throughout its history, the surname ESPENOZA has undergone various spelling variations, such as Espinoza, Espinosa, and Espiñoza, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and language evolution. However, the core essence of the name, with its potential ties to thorny plants or specific locations, has remained intact.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espenoza

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!