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

Espinal, 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 Espinal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espinal in America

Espinal is the 2289th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espinal surname appeared 15,924 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Espinal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espinal 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 Espinal

The surname Espinal has its roots in Spain, originating from the region of Castile in the 15th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "espina," meaning "thorn" or "spine," possibly referring to a person who lived near a thorny bush or a place name associated with such vegetation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Espinal surname can be found in the archives of the city of Valladolid, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed that the name may have been associated with a specific location or estate in the region, as was common during that time period.

In the 16th century, the Espinal family played a significant role in the conquest and colonization of the Americas. Juan de Espinal, born in 1510 in Seville, Spain, was a renowned explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. He later settled in the region of Guatemala and was instrumental in establishing Spanish rule there.

Another notable figure with the Espinal surname was María de Espinal, a Spanish noblewoman born in 1575 in Granada. She was renowned for her philanthropic efforts and her support of various religious orders, including the Carmelites and the Franciscans.

In the 18th century, the Espinal family gained prominence in the field of literature and arts. Francisco de Espinal, born in 1712 in Madrid, was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed during the Spanish Golden Age.

During the 19th century, the Espinal surname spread throughout Latin America, particularly in countries like Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. One notable figure was José María Espinal, a Colombian politician and military leader born in 1812, who played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for independence from Spain.

As the centuries progressed, the Espinal surname continued to be carried by individuals of various professions and backgrounds, contributing to the rich tapestry of history and culture in both Spain and the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espinal

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

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

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

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