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

Esperanza, 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 Esperanza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esperanza in America

Esperanza is the 21811th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esperanza surname appeared 1,192 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 Esperanza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esperanza 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 Esperanza

The surname "ESPERANZA" is of Spanish origin, derived from the Spanish word "esperanza," which translates to "hope" in English. It is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 12th or 13th century.

The name "ESPERANZA" gained popularity in Spain and was later introduced to the Spanish colonies in the Americas, particularly in Latin America, through the process of Spanish colonization and migration. It became a common surname among families of Spanish descent in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "ESPERANZA" can be found in the archives of the Spanish Inquisition, where it was mentioned in connection with a legal case from the 16th century. The name also appeared in various historical documents, such as parish records and land deeds, throughout the colonial period in Spanish-speaking regions of the Americas.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "ESPERANZA" was Juan de Dios Esperanza, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1778 and died in 1847.

Another historical figure with the surname "ESPERANZA" was María Esperanza de Guadalupe Arteaga y Falguera, a Mexican writer and poet who lived in the 19th century. She was born in 1829 and is known for her contributions to Mexican literature and her advocacy for women's rights.

In the 20th century, one of the most recognizable individuals with the surname "ESPERANZA" was María Esperanza Martínez, a Mexican singer and actress who rose to fame in the 1940s and 1950s. She was born in 1922 and passed away in 2011.

Another notable figure was José María Esperanza y Noguerol, a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as the President of the Congress of Deputies (the lower house of the Spanish Parliament) from 1913 to 1915. He was born in 1855 and died in 1924.

In more recent times, the surname "ESPERANZA" has been carried by individuals like Carolina Esperanza García, a Colombian singer and songwriter known for her work in the Latin pop and rock genres. She was born in 1974 and continues to be an active performer.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esperanza

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

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

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

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