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

Espenshade, 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 Espenshade surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espenshade in America

Espenshade is the 46487th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espenshade surname appeared 458 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 Espenshade.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espenshade 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 Espenshade

The surname Espenshade has its origins in the region of southwestern Germany, near the Black Forest. It emerged in the 16th century, derived from the old German words "espen" meaning "aspen tree" and "schade" meaning "shade" or "shadow." The name likely referred to a homestead or dwelling situated in the shade of aspen trees, a common sight in the forested areas of that region.

Records from the 1500s show variations of the spelling, including Espenschade, Espenschadt, and Espenschatten. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Espenschade, a farmer who lived in the village of Oberwolfach in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in church records and land deeds in the towns of Haslach, Hausach, and Triberg, all located in the Black Forest region. Notable individuals from this time period include Johann Espenschade (1612-1687), a respected blacksmith in Haslach, and Maria Espenschade (1628-1705), a midwife in the village of Schramberg.

As the 18th century dawned, some Espenshades began to migrate to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One of the first to arrive in North America was Johannes Espenschade (1705-1778), who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1730s. He and his descendants played a role in the early development of the colony, with some serving in the Revolutionary War.

Another significant figure was Friedrich Espenschade (1742-1820), a Lutheran minister who emigrated from Germany to Virginia in the late 1700s. He established several churches in the Shenandoah Valley region and was influential in promoting education and religious freedom among the German-speaking communities there.

In the 19th century, the name Espenshade became more widespread as family members dispersed across the United States and Canada. One notable individual was William Espenshade (1809-1887), a successful businessman and civic leader in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He served as the city's mayor and was instrumental in the development of its industrial and transportation infrastructure.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espenshade

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

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

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

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